This Is Me
by EatSleepBreatheJonas
Summary: Set after the Final Jam. Rated M to be safe. Most chapters are T, but occasionally, they're M. Smitchie.
1. PART I: This Is Me

_**This Is Me**_

**Based off the DCOM Camp Rock. I don't own any of the characters. I wish I owned the Jonas Brothers, but, alas...anyway. This starts up right after Final Jam is over. Please read and review.**

Mitchie looked at him smiling gently. Shane glanced up, and his breath caught in his throat; her smile just did that to him. The sun was setting, and the sky looked like it was on fire. She leaned towards him.

"So why are we out here?" Mitchie asked, grinning. Shane rolled his eyes and kept paddling, continuing to go in circles.

"We're gonna talk, silly girl." He stated, dropping the paddles inside the boat and laying down. She looked confused, and he gestured for her to come down by him. Carefully, she crawled towards him, but hesitated.

"Lay down Mitchie. I'm not gonna hurt you; that is, unless you offend me." Shane teased, and tried to control his smile as she laid down beside him, head resting on his shoulder. As if by reflex, he wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her closer. Mitchie snuggled against him, heart beating quickly.

"What are we talking about?" She asked quietly, lifting her head to look into Shane's eyes. He glanced down at her, shrugging.

"Well, for one thing, my feelings for you. And I want you to be quiet, and only interrupt if it's really important, because I have a lot to say about you." He grinned, and she blushed. After a moment, she nodded, and closed her eyes, resting her head on his chest.

Shane took a deep breath, and began to speak. "Before I came here, I had problems. Attitude problems, which you probably knew from the press and all. And when I got here, I had those same problems...until I met you. When I saw you, covered in flour, telling me I was a jerk, I took it to heart. I never put it together that you were the girl singing. But then we met again, as friends. And I was rude to you, but you still sat there and listened and got to know me. You didn't fawn over me, which was different. And then...Tess outed you about your mom, and I was completely crushed. I figured you were lying to me, to get close and then go spill to the press everything I had said. But then I saw you in class. You looked just as crushed as I did, and I had hope, that maybe you were different."

Mitchie glanced up at him, grinning. "Good different." Shane explained, rolling his eyes, before continuing. "And then at Final Jam, I didn't find my voice, the one I had been looking for. So I decided right then, that things were still gonna change. If I couldn't have you or the girl with the voice, I was at least going to be a better person. And then...I heard the voice. And while I turned, I think I was praying it was you. You were standing there, singing your heart out, and I felt...I can't explain how happy I was. I was ecstatic that I had found both of you. When you kept singing with me, I fell for you. And I know you probably don't feel the same way, but that's okay, because I want to be in your life, if it's as your best friend, a brother-like figure, a mentor, or a boyfriend. I thought I had lost you after Beach Jam, and I wanted to die. But now, I can't even tell you how happy you make me. I can hear your heart beating, and it's the single most important sound in the world to me. I sense when you walk in a room, and I light up. You make me a better person Mitchie, and I'll always be here for you...are you okay?" Shane glanced down at Mitchie, who had her face buried in his chest, her heart pounding.

She nodded, and looked up at him. "You're amazing Shane Grey, you know that right?" Mitchie asked, a wide smile on her face. He tilted his head to the side.

"I've heard that once or twice. But never has it had the meaning it does now, coming from you." Shane whispered, hugging her tightly. She bit her lip and turned so she was resting on one arm. He turned as well, facing her. "You look serious." He murmured, smiling softly. She nodded, not meeting his eyes. He instantly became worried. "Oh shit, you don't feel the same way about me, and now I've totally screwed up everything we have, oh my God Mitchie, I won't ever say anything about it again!" Shane promised, and Mitchie giggled.

"Shane, I'm trying to figure something out. Now hush for a minute!" She cried, laughing. He nodded meekly, staring intently at her. "I can't think when you're staring at me like that, it makes me dizzy." She scolded, giggling again. He instantly shut his eyes, smiling slightly. "Shane." Mitchie breathed after a minute. He opened one eye, and she swatted him gently on the arm. Grinning, he opened both and watched her carefully.

"Kiss me?" She murmured, her eyes half shut. Shane paused for a beat, before pulling her down and kissing her gently. Mitchie ran her hands through his hair and let them settle at the base of his neck as he continued to kiss her. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. Mitchie smiled into the kiss, and shifted slightly. Shane complied by shifting with her, which proved to be a mistake. He had shifted a bit too much; the canoe flipped.

Mitchie broke through the surface, sputtering and coughing. Shane swam over to her, apologizing profusely. She bit her lip, trying not to laugh. He paused, confused. Mitchie looked up at him as they both treaded water. "That was the perfect first kiss for us Shane." She declared, giggling as she swam closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He laughed and kissed her forehead.

"I agree. Now let's go get that canoe." He said, laughing as they both swam for the flipped boat. As they righted it, Mitchie turned to him.

"What are we?" She asked, biting her lip. Shane grinned, and brushed the stray wet hairs out of her eyes.

"Well, I'd really like you to be my girlfriend, but I can understand why you would say no. It would be really hard for us to see each other, what with school and the band and all." He explained, watching her. She shrugged.

"I think we can make it work." Mitchie stated, as they climbed back into the canoe. He smiled and nodded. "Shane Grey, boyfriend of Mitchie Torres. I like that." She whispered, and he smiled too.

"Mitchie?"

"Yeah, Shane?"

"You rock."

**End! Please tell me what you thought. I have Chapter Two of Wait You're What written in a journal, and it's 16 pages, so I'm really excited to start that tomorrow. I'm looking forward to writing more in WYW? and Camp Rock!**


	2. Chapter 2

_**This Is Me**_

**Yay! People like this! So last night, after I finally went to sleep, around 2:30 am my time...I had a dream regarding this story, and this chapter is based on my dream. Of course, Mitchie takes my place, but whatever. So I'm still going to have this story marked as complete, because each chapter will end as though it really could be the end. I don't know when I'll be updating, since I've got some great ideas for WYW? as well. So. Here we go!**

Shane opened his eyes, blinking in the harsh sunlight. Cautiously, he picked his head up and glanced around. Noticing where he was, he began to laugh. Mitchie picked up her head, yawning. Shane put a hand out. "Don't move. We're still in the canoe." He muttered, laughing. Mitchie stared at him, horrified.

"WE'RE STILL IN THE CANOE?" She shrieked, grabbing his arm. He nodded, trying not to laugh. "Stop laughing Shane! We've been out here all night? My parents are gonna go nuts! They're probably thinking I'm missing! Shane! They'll think you raped me or something!" Mitchie groaned, burying her face in his chest.

Shane looked down at her, amused. "Do you want to get raped by me?" He asked teasingly, putting his hands on her hips and drawing her close for a gentle kiss. Mitchie smiled into the kiss; she always did when Shane kissed her. She had smiled a lot last night.

Mitchie tilted her head in consideration. "Not many girls can say they got raped by Shane Grey, so I'd have quite a story. But then my dad would kill you. And I like you alive." She finished, grinning. He laughed and tried to not look horrified at the idea of death.

She laughed at the expression on his face. "Not really, he'd probably just put you in a coma or something." She said after a moment, and his face relaxed somewhat. "But let's not talk about rape right now. Let's just...be."

He looked at her curiously. "Just...be?" He asked, smiling. She nodded up at him, beaming happily. With that, she wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled in close, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Just be. When we lay here with each other and thank God for putting us where we are." She explained, her eyes closed as she breathed in his scent. He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"I thank God for you every minute of every day Mitchie." He murmured, and she smiled again. He had really changed, she thought happily as he laid down beside her and closed his eyes. After a moment, he opened eye to look at her. "Mitchie?" He breathed, running a finger down her cheek.

"Yes?"

"I really want to kiss you." He stated, and she giggled.

"As I recall, we did a lot of that last night Mr. Grey." Mitchie commented, grinning at her boyfriend. Shane groaned and let his head fall back.

"I know, but you're addicting. You know that right? You're like my own personal drug, only better because you don't harm me at the same time. And I'm going crazy just having you this close; I always went crazy when you were close to me. I wanted to kiss you then, and now I can, and I can't stop because I'm afraid that if I do, I'll lose you."

Mitchie smiled. "Well, you're not exactly half-addicting either Shane. There's something about you that makes me want to do a back flip. Believe it or not, I'm going crazy over here too." She smiled again, kissing him quickly on the lips. "Happy?" She asked, grinning. He clearly wasn't.

"No." Shane pouted, running his hands up and down her arms. "I don't get it. If you're as crazy over me as you say, why aren't you okay with all the kissing?"

Mitchie laughed. "I never said I wasn't okay with it, I'm just afraid we'll end up going too far and get in trouble." Shane grinned.

"Nahh. If we get too into it, we'll get flipped. Remember last night?" He laughed, remembering how the canoe had flipped when he had tried to shift on top of her. Mitchie giggled.

"You do have a point Shane..." She paused in consideration, then pulled him down on top of her, tangling her hands in his hair. "What are you waiting for? Kiss me." She murmured looking up at him, biting her lip. He didn't need to be told twice; he bent down and captured her lips in his, one hand on her waist, the other on the side of her face. "Just don't move too much, I don't feel like getting wet again." She mumbled through the embrace. He smirked and nodded slightly.

"Mitchie! Shane! Are you out there?" Someone from the dock yelled. Shane and Mitchie shot up out of the canoe, gasping. Shane turned to look over at the dock, and instantly regretted it. A moment later, he and his girlfriend were in the water again.

"Shane!" She screamed, laughing. He laughed too, treading water and holding her as she laughed. "We're all wet again." She giggled, hugging him.

"And caught. Someone on the dock has been yelling our names." He added and she bit her lip. "I love how you do that." She gave him a look, confusion in her eyes. "The way you bite your lip. You do it when you're confused or nervous, but it makes you look so hot." He murmured, kissing her once.

"Shane! That's probably my mom on the dock! We can't be out here making out!" She scolded, trying not to smile. He shrugged, and kissed her again.

"Your mom needs to get used to me kissing you; I plan to be doing it for a while baby." He whispered in her ear, and she smiled.

"MITCHIE TORRES! SHANE GREY! IF YOU'RE OUT THERE, WE'RE SENDING A RESCUE CANOE! JUST STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" The person yelled, and sure enough, Brown was loading himself into a canoe and starting out.

"Great." Shane groaned, watching as Brown paddled out to where they were. "He's not gonna shut up the whole ride in; something about firing me for 'getting intimate' with a camper, or some crap like that."

Mitchie grinned, kissing him softly. "Hush and just be grateful we've got someone who can paddle a canoe coming to save us. You know if we had to get ourselves back in, we'd be stuck going in circles."

"I'll shut up a lot more often if you use that method. And you do have a point, although I still think we're amazing at canoing."

"Thank God you're both okay. It was going to be pretty uncool of me to tell your parents you were dead or something." Brown called, his accent thick with worry. Shane rolled his eyes.

"Uncle Brown, Mitchie and I came out last night after Final Jam and we fell asleep. We're fine, I promise." He reassured his uncle as Mitchie slided into the rescue canoe. Shane quickly pushed himself up in as well, gratefully taking the half blanket Mitchie was extending towards him. She wrapped the other half around herself, pressing her body to Shane's. "What are you doing Mitchie?" He whispered, glancing down at the way she was pressed against him.

"Sharing body heat, don't get any ideas mister." She whispered back, grinning. He shrugged and wrapped his arm around her. Brown glanced at the two of them, noticing how close they were.

"Shane, we're going to have a conversation about your employment here, given your...er...intimacy with Ms. Torres here." Brown stated, trying hard to resist high fiving his nephew. This was clearly the girl he had been hung up on all summer, and he had finally worked up the courage to ask her out.

Shane nodded and glanced at Mitchie. "I told you so." He mouthed, grinning. She shrugged and rested her head on his shoulder. He turned his gaze back to Brown. "That's cool. I mean, I can understand how you would need to fire me, even after camp is over, and we didn't get together until camp was over. But whatever." He said slyly, smiling pleasantly at Brown.

"Uhm. Well, you do have a point Shane, but Mitchie's parents might have some objections, given you are who you are." Brown added, looking slightly put out.

Mitchie picked up her head. "My parents won't care. As long as Shane makes me happy, they should be fine with it." She smiled at Shane and snuggled against him. Brown nodded, praying she was right. He really didn't want to fire his nephew for something as stupid as falling for a girl.

As they docked, Connie Torres ran to hug her daughter. "Mitchie! Why are you all wet?" She cried, holding her daughter at arm's length and examining her. Mitchie glanced at Shane, who shrugged and tried to not laugh at the look on his girlfriend's face.

"Uhm, Shane flipped the canoe." Mitchie said quickly, willing herself not to blush. Connie nodded and glanced at Shane.

"You're that singer all the entertainment shows are talking about, with your bad attitude, aren't you?" She snapped, glaring at Shane. He looked down and nodded.

"Mrs. Torres, that was who I was. But I met your daughter, and she's changed me in ways I can't explain. I don't want to be known as that guy. I'd like a chance to make a new impression on you, if you'd allow that." Mitchie smiled, proud of her boyfriend.

Connie arched an eyebrow. "Oh really? And why would a new impression of you be so important to me?" She asked politely, looking at Shane. Mitchie stepped in.

"Uhm, mom, Shane asked me to be his girlfriend actually." She whispered, flushing a light pink. Connie's jaw dropped and she turned back to Shane. "And I said yes. And he really has changed Mom...so if you'd just give him a second chance?" Mitchie begged, and Connie nodded slowly.

"Alright. I'm looking forward to it Shane. Mitchie, your dad took most of your stuff home with him, but I think your smaller suitcase is still in our cabin, if you'd like to get changed really quick. I'll be in the van, okay sweetie?" Mitchie nodded and hugged Shane as her mom walked away.

"You were great." She whispered, looking up at him. He smiled and laughed, before kissing her tenderly. She returned the kiss happily, before breaking it off and grinning. "I have to go get changed. Not that being all wet isn't great..." She kissed him once more then turned and walked to her cabin. Shane stood there, watching her walk.

"Mitchie!" He yelled, and she turned, still smiling from his kiss.

"Yeah?"

"I think I'm in love with you."

**End? Thoughts are appreciated. **


	3. Chapter 3

_**This is Me**_

**Yay! People still like this! I'm pretty happy. I'm still planning on updating WYW? pretty soon, so stay tuned for that. Until then, here we go!**

Mitchie blinked once, staring at Shane. He looked and sounded serious enough, she thought, smiling. Without hesitating, she ran to him and hugged him tightly. "Are you sure?" She whispered, pulling away to look at him. He nodded.

"Yes. I can't even explain how much you mean to me Mitchie." He murmured, looking into her eyes. She smiled and bit her lip. He grinned. "You know that drives me crazy babe." He whispered, running his hands through her wet hair. She smiled and continued biting her lip, locking eyes with him.

"I like driving you crazy. It usually ends with me getting kissed." Mitchie stated, giggling. Shane nodded and dropped his hands down to her hips as he nuzzled her neck lovingly. "But right now, my mom is shooting me death glares. So you might want to stop and let me go change." She added, laughing. "Shane! That tickles!" Mitchie cried, as he placed several open-mouthed kisses against her neck.

He pulled away, and nodded. "Go get dressed so we can go catch up with your mom. Be quick, I don't want your mom to have too much time to kill me." Mitchie giggled and ran off to her cabin for the second time. Shane watched her go and smiled when she turned to blow him a kiss.

"She really likes you, doesn't she?" Connie asked, startling Shane. He jumped and laughed at himself after a second of catching his breath.

"I hope so. I told her I loved her." He admitted, and Connie's eyes widened. "And I do. Mrs. Torres, you probably aren't too crazy about me, but your daughter...she's amazing. You know that. But she means so much to me, and I want to be in her life."

Connie smiled. "Well. I appreciate that you're not stringing her along. I can tell you're telling the truth. It's probably the way you look at her, like she's the most important person in the world. All I want is for Mitchie to be happy. And if you make her happy, then I guess we'll be seeing a lot of you, won't we?"

Shane nodded. "She is the most important person in my world; I would do anything in my power to make her smile. I want to be around her as much as possible. The band is going to be on tour for the rest of the summer though. You heard her at Final Jam...I want to record that song with her...and with your permission, take her on tour with us."

"Oh my God." Shane and Connie turned to see Mitchie standing there, a smile filling her whole face. "Mom, please? This is a once in a lifetime chance! Please?" She begged, hugging her mother tightly. Connie looked unsure.

"I assume there will be a chaperon, Shane?" Connie asked. "I would allow it if I knew there was going to be supervision at all times."

Shane smiled. "Of course. Brown, or Uncle Brown in my case, would be joining us for all the stops on the tour. He'd travel with us in the bus, and Peggy, would be on tour too, since she's recording with us as her prize." Mitchie squealed.

"Please Mom? Please? I promise to write every day and call every night and tell you anything you want. Please?" Mitchie was on her knees now, hands clasped in front of her mother. Connie laughed and gestured for Mitchie to get up off the ground.

"I'll definitely consider it. It does sound like a wonderful opportunity for you, Mitchie. And I don't think your father would mind too much, considering Peggy and Brown would be there." Connie promised, smiling. Mitchie hugged her tightly.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" She squealed, then turned to Shane. "You are amazing Shane Grey." She declared, kissing him. Connie blinked once, then walked away quickly.

"Like I've said, I've heard that before. But it has never meant so much to me." He murmured, letting his hands wander down her back. Mitchie smiled into the kiss, giving a small squeal as he rested his hands on her butt.

"Shane!" She breathed, looking shocked. He grinned and removed his hands. She tilted her head to the side. "I didn't say I didn't like it." She scolded, pressing her lips to his once more. He laughed and drew her closer to him.

Connie impatiently honked the horn, not liking where Shane had his hands. The two jumped apart at the loud sound. "Coming Mom!" Mitchie yelled, grabbing her bag and Shane's hand, running towards the van.

Connie threw the door open for them. Mitchie climbed in and Shane followed. "Shane, you'll be coming home with us to discuss this tour business." Connie explained as both teens buckled up. He nodded and put his arm around Mitchie, who leaned against his shoulder happily.

Three hours later, Connie put the van in park and hopped down from the seat. Shane glanced down at his girlfriend who was asleep. Smiling, he unbuckled her seat belt and slid out of the van. Turning back, he scooped her up and carried her into the house. Mitchie mumbled something and snuggled against his chest. "Where do you want your daughter Connie?" He asked, grinning. She laughed and pointed upstairs.

"Third door on the right. Thanks Shane." They had talked a lot on the ride home, and Connie soon developed a soft spot for the boy who had stolen her daughter's heart.

Shane climbed the stairs, and counted the doors. Pushing the right one with his foot, he set her down on the bed and sat down next to her. Mitchie murmured something again, reaching out and grabbing his shirt. He obliged by laying down next to her. Smiling in her sleep, she snuggled up against him, wrapping her hands around his arm and resting her head on his shoulder. He glanced around her room. It was exactly like her; bright and happy. Something caught his eye. He glanced up and laughed quietly. Taped to her ceiling was a Connect 3 poster. What was better was that it was just him. He laughed again, and closed his eyes, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I love you Mitchie." He murmured, kissing her cheek and letting himself fall asleep. She murmured something and sighed, before lapsing back into silence.

Shane opened his eyes. It was dark outside. He glanced back down. Mitchie was awake, staring at the poster on her ceiling. "Hey baby, why are you staring at that when you've got the real guy here?" He asked teasingly. She turned and a smile lit up her face.

"You're finally awake!" She cried, and he looked scared.

"How long was I asleep?" He asked cautiously. "And how long have you been awake?" He asked again, very confused.

"You've been asleep since we got home I guess. But I've only been awake for like, 5 minutes. So don't worry. I haven't been fantasizing with your poster too much." She teased.

Shane looked curious. "What exactly are we fantasizing about Ms. Torres? Because I'm sure that whatever it is, Shane Grey would be more than happy to take care of it for you." He murmured, his hot breath tickling her neck.

"Mmmm. I don't think I can tell you baby. Poster Shane might get mad that I'm cheating on him." Mitchie grinned, biting her lip. Shane groaned.

"Don't keep biting your lip like that, sooner or later I'm not going to be able to control myself and that would be very bad for us." He scolded, a small smirk etched across his face.

Mitchie glanced up at him. "Well. As you slept, Poster Shane was being very suggestive, and I kinda liked it." She admitted, smiling. "And yeah, I'm only 16, but I'm pretty sure I know what I want." Shane looked into her eyes.

"And what is it that the lady wants?" He asked, his voice dangerously low. Mitchie grinned.

"You."

**Reviews are appreciated. I was touched that as I wrote this, I had reviews coming in every minute. Please continue guys, I love it.**


	4. Chapter 4

_**This is Me**_

**Ohmigosh you guys. I love you so much. Almost as much as Shane loves Mitchie. Seriously. You guys are awesome.**

**Here we go. Oh snap. I need a disclaimer.**

**Disclaimer: (yay! I remembered!) I don't own Camp Rock or the characters. I wish I owned Kevin Jonas, but whatever.**

**Here we go!**

Shane's eyes lit up. "Poster Shane needs to take a number. I think I have dibs on this one." He whispered, grinning. Mitchie gave him a look.

"Shane, I don't want to go all the way, you know that right?" He nodded. "I just want to be closer to you. I want...I don't know what I want. But I know you're involved." She explained, breathing unsteady. He nodded again, kissing her gently. She pulled away. "That's exactly what I'm talking about! We're so...gentle and whatever. I want you to not treat me like I'm fragile. I want...I don't know."

Shane smiled and pushed her down on the bed, kissing her more roughly this time. She smiled and breathed, "This is what I'm talking about." He grinned and ran his hands down her hips holding her in place. Mitchie tentatively opened her mouth, and Shane eagerly slid his tongue into her mouth, tasting and exploring.

"Are you sure you want this?" He asked, breathing heavily. She nodded, pulling him back down on top of her. He smiled and kissed her again, running his hands over her stomach. Mitchie muttered something, and he gently slid her shirt up to rub her stomach. She gasped at his cold hands on her stomach, but relaxed as he began to kiss her neck again.

"Don't you dare give me a hickey." She breathed, and Shane chuckled, shaking his head but continuing. Mitchie gasped something that he didn't quite hear, but she drew him closer to her. Without breaking contact, he drew one of her legs up around his waist. Mitchie bit her lip and ran her hands through his hair, finally entwining them at the base of his neck.

"You smell really good, by the way." Shane murmured, lifting his head to look at her. Mitchie giggled and kissed him. "Thank God we're not in a canoe." He muttered as Mitchie flipped him and put a leg on either side of his hips. She giggled again and looked down at him.

"Your hair looks really good." She said, giggling. Shane laughed and tried to flatten it. "That didn't help. We'll have to fix it before we go downstairs. You look like you have sex hair." Mitchie laughed. Shane rolled his eyes and pulled her down to press his lips to hers.

"We should really be working on your hair." Mitchie breathed as he held her close to him. He shook his head, kissing her and entwining her tongue with his. She broke away for a minute. "I love kissing you." She stated, "but I can hear my mom coming up the stairs."

Shane's eyes widened. "We've gotta fix my hair!" He yelped, and Mitchie giggled.

"I tried to tell you that, but nooo, you'd rather pin me down and kiss me senseless. Not that I minded terribly." She threw a brush at him and he frantically started to brush it, glancing every now and then in her mirror, before flopping down on the bed and pretending to be asleep.

A knock at the door. "Mitchie? Sweetie? Are you awake?" Connie called, and Mitchie ran to the door.

"Sssh Mom! Shane's asleep!" Mitchie whispered, and Connie nodded.

"Well. Wake him up. Dinner's almost ready. Your father is on his way home, so you might want to warn him." Mitchie nodded and shut the door gently.

Shane picked up his head. "I get to meet your dad. Yippee." He twirled his finger in the air, and Mitchie giggled.

"He's not that bad. He's pretty cool, as long as you don't start kissing me at the table. Sucking up won't get you very far, but it's worth a shot. Talk about anything except the Chicago Bears. Other than that, you're good."

Shane was listening intently. "Wait. So I can't kiss you at the table?" Mitchie nodded. "Well then I guess I better do it now." He declared, pressing her down on the bed and kissed her deeply. Mitchie closed her eyes happily. She had a new favorite activity, she decided as she stood up.

"You're a better kisser than Poster Shane." She breathed, fixing her hair at her mirror. Shane grinned.

"I thought those were lip gloss stains." He teased, hugging her and playing idly with her hair. "You look great baby." He promised, kissing her forehead as she rose.

She smiled. "Let's go meet my dad." She said happily, entwining their fingers. Leading him down the hall, she heard the front door open. "He's home." She whispered, and Shane took a deep breath, before kissing her once more.

"Sorry. I figured I'm not going to be able to do that for at least a few hours." He explained and followed her down the stairs.

"Dad!" Mitchie cried, rushing forward to hug her father. "Daddy, this is Shane. Shane, this is my dad." She introduced then stepped back.

"You're the boy my little girl was singing with at that concert." Mr. Torres recognized and Shane nodded, extending his hand to her father.

"Yes sir. I'm also here to ask for permission to date your daughter." Shane requested as Mr. Torres shook his hand.

"Well. I can assume she said yes, given the fact that you're standing here." Mr. Torres stated and Shane nodded once more. "I don't really have a problem with that, assuming you treat her right...Shane?"

"Yes sir. But there's more actually. Maybe we could talk about this over the dinner your wife has prepared?" Shane asked, taking Mitchie's hand. Mr. Torres nodded and watched as his daughter led him into the dining room.

They had all sat down when Mitchie spoke. "Dad, Shane wants to record the song I sang at Final Jam. He and the rest of Connect 3 really like it. They're also asking me to tour with them over the summer." She said happily, squeezing Shane's hand under the table.

Connie smiled at looked at her husband. "They'll be supervised the whole time. And Mitchie's friend Peggy who won will be on the tour as well."

Mr. Torres looked thoughtful. "Well, I don't really see how I can say no to something like that." He stated, and smiled at his daughter. "I'm very proud of you Mitchie. This is a great opportunity for you, and I know you'll be responsible and mature about it."

Mitchie nodded, then took a deep breath. "May I be excused for a minute?" She asked. Connie nodded and watched as she ran from the table. Shane rose.

"I'm going to follow her. Excuse me." He followed her out of the room and into a closet. She buried her face in a coat and screamed. "What are you doing baby?" He asked, watching her scream into a jacket.

"He told me to be mature and responsible about it. So I'm squealing and celebrating in private." Mitchie explained, smiling at him. He raised an eyebrow.

"Private celebration, I like the sound of that." He whispered, and she giggled.

"Shane! So not where I was going with that !" Mitchie cried, laughing. He shrugged, kissing her softly.

"It was worth a shot. But now we've got the rest of summer for us to be together." He promised, hugging her. "Now let's go back to the table before your dad flings the closet door open and shoots me."

Mitchie giggled and they went back to the table together. Shane pulled her chair out and she sat down, looking at him appreciatively.

Dinner was soon finished, and Shane was taking her back up stairs. She giggled when he scooped her up in his arms, but grabbed onto his arm tightly as he started up the stairs. "Don't you dare drop me," she giggled, but her warning was serious. He looked down at her.

"Nahh. I like you too much to drop you. Now you have to go to sleep, we're packing tomorrow." She looked up at him.

"We're leaving tomorrow?" She asked, and he nodded. "I didn't realize it was that soon...that's not a problem or anything...but I just...wow. We're really going, aren't we?" She asked, giggling. Shane smiled down at her.

"I love you Mitchie." He murmured, watching as a slight blush spread across her face. "You don't have to say anything. I was just telling you. I don't expect you to be in love with me yet." He soothed, kissing her gently as he set her down on the bed.

"Spend the night with me?" She asked, and he paused.

"I don't know how your parents would like that, baby girl. But if I could, I definitely would. My heart hurts when I'm not with you." He admitted, and she shrugged.

"We could ask. It doesn't hurt to ask." Mitchie suggested, and he smiled.

"Okay. I'll go ask. You need to go to sleep babe. I'll be right back." Shane got off the bed and walked downstairs.

"Mrs. Torres? Mitchie was wondering if I could stay over tonight. I'd sleep anywhere you want me to, I think she just wants to know I'm here." Shane asked, and Connie smiled.

"Of course you can Shane. I trust you, so you can sleep in her room." Connie stated, smiling at him. He grinned.

"Thanks Mrs. Torres. Are you sure it's okay?" He asked once more. She nodded, smiling.

"Go ahead. We'll get you up in the morning. Good night Shane."

"Good night Mrs. Torres." He turned and went back upstairs. "Mitchie, your mom says I can stay." He murmured as he slid into bed with her. Her face lit up and she hugged him tightly.

"Good. I was thinking about how much you mean to me. And I really don't want to be without you for a while." Mitchie breathed, wrapping her arms around his neck. Shane smiled and slid his hands around her waist.

"We both need sleep baby girl." He murmured, kissing her cheek as she pressed herself against his body, yawning quietly. "Don't worry honey, I'll be right here." Shane soothed, rubbing her side gently. She smiled up at him and buried her face in his shoulder.

"Goodnight Shane," she sighed, stifling another yawn.

"Goodnight baby."

"Shane?" Mitchie asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Yes honey?"

"I love you."

**Squeal! Each chapter is getting longer I think. Please tell me what you thought! The tour starts next. I'm kind of having intimacy block. With my HSM stories, I have absolutely no problem writing mature scenes...but when it comes to this, I'm blocked. Hopefully I'll be able to get around that, because you guys know it's gonna happen when they're on tour. And if you hadn't figured it out, well I just spoiled it for you. **


	5. Chapter 5

_**This is Me**_

**I love you guys as much as Mitchie loves Shane. You guys are great, and I love reading what you have to say. You guys have been really positive, but constructive criticism is great too. WARNING! Smitchie Smut in this chapter, and it's rated M. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own. Drat.**

"Mitchie, honey, it's time to wake up." Shane murmured in his girlfriend's ear. She shifted slightly and muttered something. "Come on baby, we've got to pack and go meet the rest of the guys." He tried, rubbing her arm. Her eyes slowly opened and she smiled.

"You stayed." She mumbled, gazing happily at her boyfriend. He laughed and tapped her on the nose lovingly.

"Of course I did, pretty girl. You asked me to stay, and I couldn't leave you. You're so beautiful when you're sleeping, I couldn't bear to leave the room." Shane whispered, and Mitchie smiled again. "You're beautiful all the time, of course, but you're breathtaking when you're asleep." He added, caressing her cheek.

"I have to brush my teeth." She realized, and jumped out of bed and rushed down the hall to the bathroom. When she returned, Shane kissed her longingly. "Good morning," she whispered, catching her breath.

"I'm gonna go get ready honey. I'll be back." He grabbed some clothes and made his way down the hall to find the bathroom. Mitchie sighed happily before she started to rummage through her closet for something to wear.

She was still standing in front of her closet, in her pajama shorts and bra, when Shane entered the room. "Shane!" Mitchie shrieked, attempting to cover herself, but giving up after a minute. He sat on the bed, smiling at her.

"Yes?" He asked, one eyebrow raised. She sighed and turned back to her closet. "You look hot." Shane commented, laying across her bed. She laughed.

"I don't know what to wear!" She moaned, slumping against the wall. Shane looked up interestedly.

"I'll pick something out. But you have to wear it." He offered, getting up off the bed. As he passed her, he pecked her lightly on the lips. "I would tell you to just wear that, but we're meeting my band mates. So we'll save that outfit for when we're alone, okay baby?" He teased, and she nodded, blushing slightly.

Shane stepped inside her closet and looked around. His eyes lit up and he grabbed things from the hangers. "Here. This is totally great for meeting the band." Mitchie examined the outfit he had laid on the bed.

"Shane! That's a mini skirt and a v-neck tank top. I don't think it's exactly...crap. I promised, didn't I?" She slumped over on the bed. Shane nodded, smirking at her. "Fine." She picked up the clothing and walked into the closet to change. Shane sat on the bed, waiting patiently. "Shane, I look like a whore." She called and he laughed.

"I'm sure you don't look like a whore, baby girl." He replied, locking his hands behind his head, smiling. Mitchie groaned and opened the closet door. "Babe, you look hot!" He exclaimed, kissing her forehead. She groaned.

"I don't dress like this Shane. Can I please change?" He shrugged and nodded. Mitchie sighed in relief and went back into the closet.

"You looked really good though." Shane called and he heard her stop undressing.

"Well...maybe I could wear it." Mitchie said in a thoughtful voice. He laughed and opened the closet door. She was standing there, examining herself in the full length mirror that hung from the door.

"You don't have to wear it. I was just messing with you, baby." Shane soothed, hugging her. She grinned up at him.

"I kinda like it though." She said, turning from side to side, looking in the mirror. He laughed and put his hands on her hips.

"You do look hot. And as soon as we get on that tour bus, I'm going to throw you down on our bed and make you scream." Shane whispered, giving Mitchie chills. She glanced up at him.

"Is that a promise?" She asked, giving him puppy dog eyes, and he laughed.

"It's a promise if you want it to be." He murmured, spinning her around and kissing her roughly. Mitchie wrapped her arms around him as he parted her lips. "Oh my God Mitchie you taste good." He groaned, pressing her up against the wall. She moaned something, pressing him closer to her. "What was that baby girl?" Shane asked, breaking the kiss for a moment.

"We're in a closet. We need to either wait for the tour bus, or get on my bed." Mitchie said breathlessly, biting her lip. Shane nodded, wiping the hair out of his face.

"I kind of want to put you on your bed and carry on, but I think we should wait." Shane admitted grudgingly. Mitchie nodded once, slowly, still biting her lip as she stepped out of the closet. "You still look hot." Shane commented, sitting back down on her bed. She giggled and sat down in front of her mirror, proceeding to fix her hair.

"Hey, I'm gonna go ahead and pack for you, okay? You just keep on doing your hair." Shane told her, grinning. Mitchie nodded, smiling up at him. "We're gonna be gone all summer, so I think I'll just throw everything in suitcases, okay?" She nodded again, finishing her hair.

"Here, I'll help. I'll grab the stuff from the closet, you can go through my drawers." Mitchie offered, going into the closet. Shane smiled and went over to her drawers, pulling the first one out.

"I'm gonna like this assignment. Your bras are in here." Shane commented, grinning as he lifted a pile of them out. Mitchie turned with a gasp; she had totally forgotten that. Shane took the pile and dragged a suitcase over behind him.

"You can wear this for me, oh and this one...and this one...and these three, and this one, and this one too!" He announced, tossing them over his shoulder into the bag. Mitchie laughed.

"You're gonna love the next drawer then." She told him, watching his face as he opened it. He turned to her, grinning.

"I love you Mitchie. And I love your underwear too." He announced, scooping out a colorful pile and dumping them in on top of the bras. She giggled and continued packing more neatly than her boyfriend.

"Shane, when are we going to meet the bus?" She asked curiously, glancing at her wall clock. He turned, still overjoyed with her bras.

"I'm not really sure, but I'm pretty impatient to get back to kissing you. And I want the guys to meet you. They were all talking about how much I'd changed. I want them to meet the reason why I did." He told her, smiling softly. She smiled back at him.

"I love you Shane." She murmured, and he smiled.

"I love you Mitchie." He yelled, and she laughed. "I was making a point." He explained, grinning. "I hope your parents heard that." He added, zipping up the suitcase he had been filling. She glanced down, and saw hers was full as well. Bending to zip it, Shane whistled. "I don't mind the view baby." He commented and she giggled.

"Jerk." She giggled and he feigned hurt at her words.

"Aww baby you know it's part of the image." He teased, coming up and hugging her. "And you know I love you." He murmured, kissing her cheek. Mitchie looked up at him.

"Yeah, I do know that." She whispered as a horn filled the air. Shane glanced out the window and a grin lit up his face.

"That's our ride baby!" He exclaimed, grabbing her many suitcases and going downstairs. Mitchie grabbed her purse and threw different trinkets from her room into it, then ran after him. Shane turned just as she was flying down the stairs. "Thought I had lost you baby girl." He whispered, kissing her lightly and taking her hand.

"Mom? Dad?" Mitchie yelled into the house. They both appeared, smiling, tears in their eyes. "I'm going to miss you." She said, hugging both her parents. Shane smiled and stood by the door.

Connie nodded and hugged her daughter tightly. "But we'll talk every night, and it'll be like you never left. Okay? This is a great opportunity. Now, go have fun!" She cried, kissing her daughter's forehead. Mr. Torres hugged her.

"Be safe baby." He murmured, kissing her head. Mitchie smiled and nodded.

"Bye Momma, bye Daddy." She whispered, hugging each one then turning to Shane. "I'm ready." She stated, taking his hand. She turned, smiled once to her parents and followed Shane, who opened the door to the bus.

"After you darling." He drawled, following her in. Connie smiled and waved as the bus pulled away slowly from the curb.

Mitchie glanced around, and took a sharp breath. The rest of Connect 3 was sitting there, smiling at her. "Uhh...wow. Hey guys." She said, laughing and giving a small wave. Nate smiled at her.

"You must be the reason Shane's not an asshole anymore." He said as way of greeting, hugging her. Shane rolled his eyes and put his arm around Mitchie. Jason looked up from his phone.

"Hey!! You're the girl that makes Shane happy!" He cried, jumping up and hugging her as well. Mitchie glanced at Shane and smiled. "Wait, is your name Mitchie?" Jason asked, looking at her carefully. She nodded, and both Nate and Jason started laughing. "Back at camp, Shane used to say your name in his sleep a lot." Jason stage-whispered, and Mitchie giggled.

"Oh really?" She asked, turning to Shane, who was a deep red. "That's very sweet of him." She added, kissing him on the cheek. Shane smirked at the others and grabbed Mitchie's hand.

"And now I'm going to show you our room baby." He said, glaring at Nate and Jason. "Which means stay out you guys." He added, walking her down the length of the bus. He opened a door and ushered Mitchie in, shutting the door behind her.

"Alone at last." She murmured, dropping her purse and kissing him. He smiled and picked up her up, walking her over to the bed and laying her down, before climbing up on top of her. "Now, I think you had promised to make me scream?" She reminded him, grinning. Shane smirked and nodded, dipping his head down to kiss her longingly.

"God I need you." He whispered, playing with the hem of her tank top before kissing her again. Swiftly he straddled her, hands rubbing her sides gently. She looked up at him, biting her lip.

"So take me." She murmured, pulling him down to connect their lips. Shane groaned as Mitchie pressed her tongue into his mouth, exploring every inch of it eagerly. Impatiently, he tugged her tank top over her head, glancing down appreciatively.

"You're gorgeous." He breathed, letting his hands run smoothly over her curves. She rolled her eyes and pulled his shirt off as well. Still straddling her, he bent down to kiss the curve of her breast, and she moaned, grabbing at his back. He grinned, letting his tongue run gently over the exposed flesh. She moaned again, wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling him closer. She opened one eye.

"Someone's excited." She murmured teasingly, feeling him press into her. He shrugs and kisses her neck several times before answering.

"You do these things to me. I mean, I've got you laying under me, moaning and writhing. No guy could handle it." He stated, sliding off her mini skirt. "I really do love you Mitchie." He added, looking down at her seriously.

"I know you do." She answered, a bit confused. He kissed her gently.

"I just don't want you to feel pressured or anything." He whispered, running his hand up and down her thigh. She shook her head.

"I don't want to go all the way, but I'd be interested in seeing what other talents you've got Shane Grey." She teased, biting her lip. He groaned and kissed her roughly.

"You know that turns me on." He mumbled, drawing her closer to him, letting her feel exactly what she's done to him. She giggled and kissed him on the cheek. "Now, what exactly do you want from me, baby girl?" He asked, looking curious.

Mitchie looked at him, cheeks flushed. "I don't really care, just make me scream Shane." She begged, rubbing her hands up and down his back. He nodded and slid down her body. Frowning, he slid her boyshorts off.

"These have got to go." He whispered, tossing them over his shoulder as he deftly slid one finger inside. Mitchie bit her lip, stifling a moan. "You can scream baby girl. Nate and Jason have brought girlfriends on tour and they'll end up having sex right on the couch out there. This is payback." Shane promised, watching her face as he added a second and third finger. Mitchie screamed once, grabbing at Shane's hair.

"Oh...my...God...Shane...please don't stop." Mitchie breathed, her eyes wide and cheeks flushed. Shane smirked and kissed her leg.

"I wouldn't dream of—WHAT?" He yelled as one of the guys pounded on the door. "Hang on honey, just stay where you are and I'll be right back." Shane promised, getting off the bed. He opened the door. "What do you want?" He snapped, glaring at Nate.

"Whoa, chill dude. Just telling you we're getting near Peggy's house, so you might want to wrap it up there buddy." Nate replied, holding his hands up innocently.

Shane rolled his eyes. "Thanks. We'll be out in a second." He turned back to the bed, where Mitchie had slid under the covers, still flushed. "Peggy's almost here. We've gotta get dressed and greet her." He said grudgingly. Mitchie smiled.

"But then we can all talk and plan what we're gonna do, and while Nate and Jason are arguing, we can sneak back in here." She said grinning. Shane thought for a moment, then smiled.

"You're brilliant. Now, we probably have 5 minutes. We can either get dressed and actually look presentable. Or, I can keep doing what I was doing, and we can stumble out at the last minute, looking completely sexed up." He offered, and Mitchie bit her lip in thought.

"I really think we should look presentable. I'm sorry baby." She said, giggling. He shrugged, and kissed her on the lips lightly.

"No big deal. I've got you all summer long." He whispered in her ear. "And you know exactly what I've got planned for you." Shane breathed, squeezing her butt gently.

"Shane!" Mitchie shrieked, jumping a little. He laughed and kissed her again, as an apology. "It's okay, just warn me next time." She said breathlessly, peering in the room's mirror and trying to fix her hair. Shane laughed and joined her at the mirror.

A few minutes later, they left the room. "Warning." Shane mumbled, then grabbed her butt. Mitchie squealed again, but this time turned and kissed him. Peggy sat in one of the chairs, talking to Nate and Jason.

"Mitchie!" She squealed, hugging her sort of-friend. Mitchie hugged her back, and they started squealing over the bus. Nate rose and stood next to Shane.

"You guys are so not quiet." He mumbled, and Shane laughed and patted his friend on the shoulder.

"We're not trying to be." Shane shot back, grinning. Nate rolled his eyes and sat back down in the chair he had vacated. Shane fell onto the couch and Mitchie curled up next to him. Peggy sat on the arm of Jason's chair, smiling at everyone.

"So what have you guys done so far?" She asked, and Nate burst out laughing. Jason laughed quietly behind his magazine, glancing over the top at Shane and Mitchie.

"Well, Jason and I have been planning our food stops, while Shane and Mitchie fucked in the back bedroom." Nate stated, grinning. Peggy laughed and glanced at Mitchie.

"We did not fuck, as Nate put it. We didn't get the chance, since he came pounding on the door!" Shane shot back, rolling his eyes at Peggy. "Welcome to the Crazy Wagon." He mouthed, kissing Mitchie on the cheek. Peggy laughed and nodded. The conversation continued for a few hours, mostly Nate and Shane bickering playfully.

Mitchie slid into Shane's lap, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm kinda tired Shane." She murmured, closing her eyes. He nodded and picked her up.

"Guys, Mitchie's exhausted, so we're gonna call it a night." He stated, walking her back to the bedroom. "Shut up Nate, I'm not going to fuck her!" He yelled, closing the door gently. Mitchie grinned at him, exhaustion in her eyes.

"I'd tell you that there was nothing I'd like more than for you to fuck me, but right now, I'm so tired I can't even open both my eyes." Mitchie mumbled, letting her head fall back on one of the pillows. Shane laughed and kissed her on the forehead.

"Do you want to at least put on something different to sleep in?" He asked, rummaging through her suitcases. She nodded and opened one eye.

"Will you do it for me?" She asked, closing her eyes again. Shane smiled and grabbed a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Quickly, he tugged her mini skirt off and slid the shorts up. He only hesitated after he had removed her tank top. "Quit staring and put my shirt on Shane." Mitchie scolded, grinning in her near sleep. Shane smirked and pulled the t-shirt on over her head. Turning back, he changed as well then slid into bed with her.

"Good night baby girl." Shane whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist and drawing her close to him. He rested his hands on her stomach, closing his eyes.

"Good night Shane. I love you." Mitchie mumbled, letting her head fall back on his shoulder.

"I love you too honey." He murmured, switching the light off and pulling her closer.

**Thoughts? Criticisms? I wasn't happy with the M scene, but I think I'll get it eventually. Please review, it means so much to me. More than Mitchie means to Shane, for serious. Haha. **


	6. Chapter 6

_**This is Me**_

**Wow. I love you guys. Seriously. Keep on reviewing, it makes me so happy. I love your thoughts and suggestions. They brighten my day. Or night. Well. it's technically morning. But whatever. Okay, so...in this chapter, our favorite couple has a very important talk that will make 90 of you happy. Haha.**

**Disclaimer: Don't make me say it.**

**Warnings: Mature content. Read at your discretion. **

"Shane. Get up." Nate called, leaning in the doorway. Shane muttered something and buried his face in Mitchie's hair. "Seriously dude. Get up. We're making food, and if you two love birds want any, get up now." He prodded, flicking the lights on and off.

Mitchie opened her eyes and blinked. "Wait, food?" She asked, picking her head up. Nate laughed and nodded, continuing to flick the lights on and off.

"Yeah. Now get your boyfriend up before Jason eats all the bacon." Nate advised, shutting the door and walking away. Mitchie glanced around. She was slightly hungry.

"Shane, get up. There's food out there." She whispered, poking him. He mumbled something and closed his eyes tightly. "Shane, I love you. But you seriously need to get up, because Jason's, like, eating all the bacon or something."

Shane's eyes popped open. He flung the blankets off and went running. "JASON, I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU EAT ALL THE BACON!" He yelled, and Mitchie laughed, slowly stepping out of their bed. Going through her suitcase, she threw on a pair of jeans and a Connect 3 tour tank. Brushing her teeth, she stepped out into the bus' hallway, listening to her boyfriend and Jason argue over the bacon.

"Dude, just one more piece!" Jason pleaded, reaching for the pan that Shane held high above his head.

"No! You've had like, 30 already! I just woke up, so I get dibs!" Shane declared hotly, reaching up and plucking a sizzling strip from the pan. He popped it into his mouth, sighing happily. "That's good bacon."

"You don't get dibs. Share guys." Peggy called, putting down her magazine. She rolled her eyes at Mitchie. "Can you try and control either of them?" She asked, giggling.

"Shane, share with Jason. Please?" Mitchie fluttered her eyelashes teasingly at her boyfriend who dropped the pan of bacon. "Thank you very much." She finished, pecking him on the cheek. "Good morning everyone!" She called and Nate peered at her over the paper.

"You're in a good mood, aren't you?" He inquired, blinking. Mitchie shrugged.

"It's got something to do with Shane I guess. He makes me happy." Mitchie confided across the bus. Jason snickered, Peggy cooed, and Shane blushed happily. Nate grinned.

"You make him happy too Mitchie." He replied, smirking at his friend. Mitchie smiled and flung herself at Shane, who caught her unexpectedly.

"Good morning." He said, bemused. Mitchie grinned up at him. "You look really good today." He stated, spinning her around slowly. She giggled and sat down on the couch. Shane sat down next to her, laying his head in her lap. Absentmindedly, she began to play with his hair. Before he could protest, Shane Grey had a head full of braids. Peggy and Nate burst out laughing, the latter in tears from laughing so hard.

Jason on the other hand was sitting next to Mitchie, hands clasped. "Do me next? Please?" He begged, and Shane shook his head in dismay, braids swinging cheerfully despite his mood. Mitchie giggled and kissed her boyfriend happily on the cheek.

"I love you. Now please unbraid my hair." Shane requested, smiling at Mitchie who sighed and started to unbraid sadly. Once she was finished, his usually flat-ironed hair had gentle waves through it. Peggy took a picture of everyone, Shane in the middle, pouting.

Mitchie pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you for letting me braid your hair." She murmured, running her fingers through his hair. He smiled at her.

"It made you happy." He shrugged, and cupped her face as he kissed her tenderly. Nate groaned.

"Dude, go to your room if you're gonna do that." He scolded. Peggy giggled, and took another picture of the couple.

"It's kinda cute Nate. Just be happy he's not whining all the time." She suggested, smiling and snapping pictures of Shane and Mitchie. Nate rolled his eyes and sat down in his chair with a huff.

Mitchie broke the embrace and turned to Nate. "If it bothers you that much, we can go to our room." She placated, grabbing Shane's hand and leading him down the hall. "But we're not gonna be quiet." Mitchie called teasingly, causing Nate to bury his head in a pillow and scream. Shane laughed and pressed her up against one of the walls, looking into her eyes.

"You make me so happy." He stated, interlocking their fingers. Mitchie blushed lightly, and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Right back atcha superstar." She whispered, grinning and opening their door. Laying down on the bed, she wrapped her arms around Shane. "I have a question." She mumbled, playing with his fingers.

"Ask away baby girl." Shane replied, laying his head back against the headboard. Mitchie glanced up at him, biting her lip.

"What's with all the pet names? Just wondering." She asked quietly, listening to the sounds of Nate and Jason arguing over something.

He looked down at her. "Oh, it's just something the other girls I've 'dated' asked me to do. They'd whine about how I didn't have any 'cutesy' names for them. I didn't love them enough to have one for them, so I went with those, and now I've got you, who I do love enough, so I've brought them back. Why?" He inquired, flipping over so he hovered above her resting on his arms.

"Oh. Okay, I was just wondering. But...could we just pick one? You're constantly throwing me off with the new names." Mitchie teased, biting her lip. He smiled at her.

"Sure. I had figured since most girls liked them, you would too. But then again, you're not most girls. You're much more special than most girls." Shane declared, then paused. "So. We've got to settle on one name for you. This is gonna be hard. What do you like?" He asked.

Mitchie shrugged and giggled. "I'm not crazy about 'honey' or 'baby', just because those are so generic. 'Baby girl' is nice, but it makes me feel like I'm 6, not 16. You called me something yesterday morning that I liked. Do you remember what it was?" She asked, tilting her head to one side.

Shane thought for a moment and his eyes lit up. "Wasn't it 'pretty girl' or something along those lines?" He thought out loud and Mitchie nodded. "So, is that the one you want?" He asked, and she bit her lip.

"I'm not sure. I mean, it's my favorite of all of them so far. But it still feels so...cliche. You know? Can we just...stick with Mitchie for now?" Mitchie questioned. He nodded, kissing her on the forehead.

"I know what you mean. But we'll figure something out. I'm glad you talked to me about this. It's important to you, and I feel better knowing you can talk to me about stuff." Shane commented, and Mitchie nodded.

"On that note, there's something else I want to talk to you about." She added, feeling slightly more nervous than she did about the pet name issue. He blinked and shrugged.

"Okay. What's up?" He asked, laying down beside her again. She bit her lip, and took a deep breath. "Mitchie, whatever it is, you can tell me." Mitchie nodded and looked up at him.

"I don't think I'm ready to sleep with you." She said quickly, closing her eyes and preparing for the Armageddon. Instead, Shane laughed.

"I know that." He stated, still laughing to himself. She opened one eye cautiously, then the other, blinking in confusion.

"But all that stuff...about screaming...and...wanting me...and...what??" Mitchie floundered, burying her face in her hands, completely and totally confused. Shane rubbed her back soothingly.

"Mitchie, Mitchie, Mitchie. I know you're not ready. And quite frankly, I'm okay with that. In case you don't remember, it was your personality, your smile and your laugh that first attracted me to you. I'm not in this relationship for sex. I'm here, with you, because you understand me, and I love you. I know you're not comfortable with the intimacy level going on here, and I'm going to tone it down to the best of my ability. I can't promise you I'll completely get rid of it, because I know my self-control isn't that good. But I want to make you happy, and if that's what it takes, then I will do it happily and cheerfully." Shane promised, locking eyes with her. Mitchie nodded, trying to stop her eyes from watering.

"You're amazing." She breathed, hugging him tightly, blinking back tears. He shrugged and returned the hug, breathing in the smell of her shampoo.

"I try." He said offhandedly, before kissing her softly. "You can tell me anything. You know that right?" Shane asked, staring into her eyes. She nodded, smiling softly. "I'll never judge you. I want you to be happy."

"I am happy." Mitchie promised, beaming up at him. "Let's go back out there." She decided, taking his hand and entwining their fingers. As they stepped out of the room, Mitchie paused. "You're still going to kiss me, right?" She asked, eyes wide.

Shane laughed and nodded. "You seem to mistake me for someone with the self control of a god." He teased, kissing her once, gently, and then pulling away. "Yes. I will definitely still kiss you." He declared. Mitchie grinned and swung their hands back and forth as they walked back to the living room.

Nate glanced up. "That was fast. And quiet." He added suspiciously, glancing at Shane, who threw him the universal gesture. "That was mature." Nate laughed, going back to his sheet music. Peggy glanced up from her guitar.

"You okay Mitchie?" She asked, watching her friend's face. Mitchie nodded and smiled.

"I've never been better." She stated, wrapping her arms around Shane.

**Much shorter, I know. But I wanted to give all their talking time to sink in. Thoughts? I believe I resolved the pet name thing, the sex thing, and Mitchie's personality. Well, maybe not so much the last one, but I'll keep working on that. Comments? Concerns? I love youuuuu. **


	7. Chapter 7

_**This is Me**_

**Not as many reviews as I had originally anticipated; but that's okay because the ones I did get were very cheerful. This sucks though. I have naturally dry skin, so my mom was like, put baby oil on! and now I'm sliding off/around my chair. Haha.**

**Disclaimer: groan I don't own. **

**Warnings: Language, I guess. **

Jason and Peggy glanced at each other, a bit unsure of what was going on. Nate dropped his sheet music to look over at Shane and Mitchie. Nothing. Confused, he went back to adding and correcting. Jason was the first to speak.

"Why are you guys not sucking face?" He asked bluntly, and Peggy blushed for her friend. Mitchie laughed and Shane groaned.

"Because, Jase, we decided to go a bit slower. Neither of us was really comfortable with how intimate we had been." Shane explained, his arms around Mitchie. "Though we'd be more than happy to 'suck face' if it's what you guys want." He added, grinning. Jason and Nate shook their heads quickly, a panicked look in their eyes.

Peggy shrugged. "I don't really care. You guys are pretty much adorable no matter what you're doing." She stated, strumming at her guitar randomly. "Ohh! That sounded good! Nate, throw me some blank paper." She ordered happily.

Mitchie leaned against Shane, watching the rain fall on the highway. "What are you thinking about Mitchie?" Shane asked, interlocking his fingers on her stomach. She looked up at him, smiling softly.

"Stuff. The rain. You. Stuff." She shrugged, closing her eyes and shifting slightly on his lap. Shane thought for a moment.

"What kinda stuff?" He asked, resting his head on one of the throw pillows. Mitchie giggled, and flipped over so she was facing him.

"Stuff. Like...this is almost unreal. One minute I'm sitting at home, seeing your face on TV, and the next I'm at camp, and I'm meeting you. And then, I'm dating you and we're recording a song together...and it's just...crazy. You know?" She murmured, shivering a little. Shane pulled a blanket from the back of the couch and spread it over her, kissing her slowly.

"It is crazy, because if you think that I almost didn't stay at Camp Rock, we would have missed all this." Shane agreed, rubbing her arms to warm her up. Nate glanced up from the music.

"And then Shane would still be an asshole, and we wouldn't be on tour." Nate added. Jason turned and glanced at them too.

"So we've got Mitchie to thank for a lot of what's going on right now." Jason put in. "Hey! Can you build me a birdhouse?" He asked, and Mitchie giggled.

"I'll see what my dad can do. He owns a hardware store." She promised, resting her head on Shane's chest. Jason let out a whoop of joy and turned back to his crossword puzzle. "I love you." She mouthed to Shane, who smiled.

"I love you too. Now, I think it's time we had our first official date, don't you?" He suggested and Mitchie's eyes widened.

"I thought the canoe thing was our first date!" She protested, looking confused. He shook his head, laughing.

"No, that was fun, but I wouldn't call it our first official date. So. What do you want to do?" Shane asked, his eyes lighting up in excitement.

"Uhm. I really don't know. Surprise me?" She suggested, giving him a big smile. He laughed and nodded.

"Hmmm. Surprise date. Okay. I can do that." Shane said thoughtfully. "You look tired. Are you tired?" He asked, looking at her closely. She shook her head and yawned.

"Okay, maybe I'm a little bit tired." She admitted, yawning again. "I'm going to go to sleep on you, okay?" Mitchie asked, not really expecting an answer. With that, she laid her head down on his chest, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around him.

Shane smiled and held her close to him. "Nate, if you say anything, I will kill you." He said seriously, closing his eyes. Nate held his hands up innocently.

"Wasn't gonna say a word man. Not a word." He swore, grinning. Peggy rolled her eyes and quietly took a picture of the two.

Mitchie opened her eyes and kissed Shane softly. "You smell good." She murmured, kissing him lightly once more before going back to sleep as the rain continued to pour down all around the bus.

Shane awoke a few hours later, coughing and wet. Nate stood over him, with what had been a glass of water. "What the hell?" He sputtered, glaring up at his friend. Nate shrugged.

"You looked comfortable." He offered, grinning. Shane groaned and flipped so his face was buried in the pillow. It took a minute to sink in.

"Wait. Where's Mitchie?" Shane asked, shooting up from the couch. Peggy glanced up from her bowl of macaroni and cheese and pointed to the back bedroom. Shane stood up and walked down the hall, tapping on the door. Mitchie opened it, and smiled.

"Hey." She whispered, hugging him. He returned the hug, then picked her up and dropped her on the bed. She smiled at him innocently.

"Is everything okay?" Shane asked, running his fingers through her long hair. She nodded, a bit unconvincingly. "Mitchie. What's wrong? You can tell me anything." He reassured her, rubbing her hand with his thumb.

"I know. And it's not really a big deal but—" Mitchie started, put Shane put one finger over her mouth, looking into her eyes.

"No. If you're upset, it's a big deal, okay? You're a big deal to me. And if you're upset, I'm upset. Now tell me what's wrong." He whispered, pulling her onto his lap and leaning back.

"I'm just afraid of actually performing...actually recording _This is Me_ and you know, singing it. I'm scared people won't like it—Shane, I'm not sure I can do this." She said in one breath, biting her lip. Shane paused for a minute.

"You were amazing at Final Jam. You stole everyone's hearts, including mine. You don't have to record it, but I think it would do amazingly well. And you can do it. You don't have to, but I'd be very happy if you did." He finished, sliding his hands under her shirt and rubbing her stomach soothingly.

"Shane." She said sharply, glancing down at his hands. He removed them, and linked them behind his head casually.

"Sorry. You're just so soft and warm and I love to touch you." He didn't sound sorry, and Mitchie had caught onto that fact. "And I'm controlling myself, I know I know." Shane added, kissing her cheek. "But you're very cuddly. Did you know that? You're incredibly cuddly."

Mitchie giggled. "No, I was not aware that I was cuddly. But I don't know, I mean, I love being with you, being on tour with you. I'm just not sure if I was made to be a performer. I'm sorry." She said sincerely.

Shane nodded. "I understand. But do you want to try it once? And see how you like it? I'll even sing with you if you want. Or not, if you don't want." He offered, kissing the top of her head.

"I'd like that." Mitchie whispered, then corrected herself. "I'd like you singing with me." Shane laughed and shifted so he was holding himself up over her. He gave her a pleading look. "Yes Shane?" She asked, smiling up at him.

"I really really really want to kiss you." He murmured, caressing the side of her face gently. She giggled and bit her lip.

"Why don't you then?" She asked sincerely, and he groaned, dropping down so he was pressed against her.

"Because I'll get too into it, and then my self control will slowly start to fade." Shane stated wisely. "Wait. I have an idea." He announced, climbing off the bed and dragged her with him. As they made their way into the common room, Nate glanced up.

"You were quiet again." He said suspiciously, glancing between them. Shane ignored him and laid Mitchie down on the couch before crawling up next to her.

"What are we doing?" She asked, and was silenced by her boyfriend's lips on hers. His hands found her hips and held her in place as he sank down on top of her. Ignoring Nate's protests, Shane placed a leg on either side of her and cupped her face as he explored her mouth. Mitchie latched her hands at the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her.

"I hope you don't mind getting a little wet." Shane mumbled through the embrace, sliding his hands down again, over her curves. Mitchie gave him a quizzical look, and shrieked a little as he flipped them over so she was pressed between the couch cushions and his body. "Oh, and this is your warning," He added, before squeezing her gently. Instead of the squeal or shriek he expected, Mitchie moaned into the embrace, wrapping a leg around his waist and pulling him closer. "Mitchie, you're really pushing my self control here." Shane murmured, pulling away briefly.

"I don't care, you started it." She mumbled, pressing her lips to his. Shane grinned and continued to kiss her longingly. Fed up, Nate rose from his chair and filled a glass with water. Walking carefully so he'd be silent, he stood near them and poured the water onto them. Mitchie screamed and shot up from the couch.

Shane shook his head, water droplets sprinkling everyone. "Meet Nate, my personal, portable, always reliable, cold shower." He said, laughing. Mitchie giggled and turned to Shane.

"Was this what you meant by 'I hope you don't mind getting a little wet' Shane?" Mitchie asked, wringing her hair out. Shane nodded and laughed.

"I can always count on Nate to keep me from getting too carried away." Shane said, "and I'm not totally sure if that's a good or a bad thing." Mitchie giggled and wrapped her arms around him.

"For our purposes, it was a good thing." Mitchie told Nate, who rolled his eyes and sat back down in his usual chair.

"I figured as much." Nate admitted, picking up his magazine and sandwich. Shane muttered something, but pecked Mitchie gently on the lips and stretched across the couch.

"What do you want to watch?" He asked Mitchie, flipping the remote in his hand. She shrugged and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Anything but Sponge Bob." She stated, and both Shane and Nate's jaws dropped.

"But that's like the best show ever!" Nate protested, jumping up and running to the first bedroom. "Jason! Mitchie doesn't like Sponge Bob!" He yelled through the door, pounding on it. The door flung open and Jason ran out into the common room.

"You don't like Sponge Bob?" He demanded, hands on his hips. Mitchie shook her head, biting her lip to keep from laughing.

"Mitchie, this is serious! You've got to see that dude. Hang on. Oh! Guys, it's on! Jason, get Peggy." Shane ordered, flipping to the show.

Jason ran back to her room and dragged her out. "Guys, I really don't see what this is such a big deal." Mitchie protested, turning her attention to Shane.

"OH SWEET! Dudes, it's the episode where he rips his pants!" Nate cheered, throwing himself into his chair. Peggy and Jason shared the other recliner and Mitchie groaned.

"Are we seriously going to watch this whole thing?" She asked, groaning. "Shane, please don't make me do this. Please." Mitchie begged, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him her most adorable pout.

"If you will watch this one episode of Sponge Bob, I will do anything you ask." Shane promised, smiling at her. "Anything." He repeated, and she bit her lip.

"Fine."

30 minutes later, Mitchie turned to Shane. "That was torture." She declared, grabbing his hand and taking him down the hall. "And now, you're going to hold up your end of the deal." She shut the bedroom door.

Jason and Peggy looked at each other. "Ut-oh!" They cried, giggling. Nate groaned and slid down in his chair.

"Sponge Bob is on again. Turn it up." He begged, and Jason snatched the remote from Shane's vacated seat.

Shane glanced down at his girlfriend who had just shut the door. "What are we doing?" He asked, raising one eyebrow. Mitchie smiled at him.

"You promised to do anything I wanted. And right now, I just want you to lay me on that bed and kiss me senseless." Mitchie whispered, biting her lip. Shane smiled and kissed her softly.

"That's not something I'll have a problem doing." He mumbled, scooping her up, only to lay her down gently a moment later. Shane stretched out next to her, cupping her face in his hands and connecting their mouths slowly. Mitchie tangled her fingers in his hair, drawing him closer to her. "Senseless yet?" Shane teased, pulling away for a minute.

"Nuh uh, I think I need a bit more." She moaned, crashing her lips onto his. Shane slid his hand down her back, pressing her against him as he parted her lips, letting his tongue slide in. Mitchie mumbled something, moving her hands from his hair to his face, keeping him in place. Neither of them noticed Jason opening the door for Peggy.

"God, it's like porn or something." Jason muttered, a bit disgusted by his friend. Peggy hit him quietly and raised her camera.

"They'll thank me later," she whispered, quickly snapping a few dozen pictures of the couple. "Okay, done. Let's get out of here." Peggy declared, backing up quietly. And as quickly as they were inside; they were out without the couple noticing.

Mitchie broke the kiss and looked into his eyes. "I need to catch my breath. I didn't know you could kiss like that." She took several deep breaths and bit her lip.

"You okay? Didn't mean to get you so worked up." Shane laughed, brushing the hair out of her eyes. She glared at him playfully.

"You did so." She teased, climbing off the bed and standing in front of the mirror, studying herself. Shane got off the bed and stood behind her, hands linked through her arms and resting delicately on her stomach.

"You're beautiful, inside and out." Shane whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. Mitchie looked at the mirror, meeting his gaze.

"Sorry about kinda losing control back there." She blushed lightly, looking down. Shane laughed and shook his head.

"I don't mind. It was kinda fun actually." He mumbled, grinning at her. Mitchie giggled picked up the brush laying on the bedside table, proceeding to fix her hair. "One of the great things about being on tour is that no one really cares if you look like you have sex hair." Shane commented, studying his unruly hair in the mirror.

Mitchie laughed and took his hand. "Let's go watch more Sponge Bob." She giggled, opening the door. Shane stopped suddenly, staring at her.

"I thought you said it was torture!" He cried, spinning her around and staring into her eyes. She shrugged and giggled again.

"After kissing you, anything is good." She teased, and his jaw dropped in mock hurt. He clasped a hand to his chest, pretending to faint—or die, Mitchie wasn't sure.

"I'm hurt." He gasped, closing his eyes and turning away from her.

"I'm sorry." Mitchie promised, kissing him on the cheek. "Kissing you is one of my favorite hobbies. Sponge Bob doesn't even come close to you." She whispered. "Though that one episode was kinda funny..." She trailed off and raced him to the couch.

"Mitchie Torres, you're in trouble!" Shane yelled, a joking tone in his voice. She giggled and quickly hid behind Jason.

"Hide me! Save me!" She shrieked, darting over to behind Nate's chair and back to Jason again. As she moved, Shane pounced and caught her mid-motion, He spun her around, both of them laughing. Peggy silently raised her camera, smiling, and took the shot.

**Awwe. Has anyone guessed what's coming yet? Allume a Pense probably has, but that's cus she's frekkin psychic. Hahaha. Anyway. Thoughts? Comments? Concerns? Our operators (me) are standing by to talk to you! (Sorry. I just saw a Safe Auto commercial, and that's stuck in my head now.)**


	8. Chapter 8

_**This is Me**_

**Whoo-hooooo!! Nobody guessed!! I'm so hyper now. By the way, for those of you who care, I have 80 reviews. The 100th reviewer will get something special. Ohhh!! I know. The 100th reviewer will be featured as Nate's lurve interest. So. Start reviewing peeps. And no, you may not have Jason. I have special plans for that spazzy dude. My original plan for this chapter has been temporarily postponed til the next chapter. This chapter is very short. Please see my note below for an explanation. I ask that you not complain about the length of this chapter, it's as much as I could handle, due to recent situations. **

**This chapter is dedicated to the loving memory of Greg Allen. I miss you. I love you. I'll be seeing you. **

Shane glanced down at Mitchie, who was still fast asleep. Silently, he slipped out of bed and rushed to the common room where Peggy sat with her camera, waiting. "So what do you got for me?" Shane asked, and she grinned.

"I got some really cute ones Shane. She's gonna love it." Peggy promised, shifting slightly to show the camera display to him. Back in the bedroom, Mitchie opened her eyes and yawned.

"Shane?" She murmured, picking up her head and looking around her. "Hmmm. Probably didn't want to risk missing the bacon." She muttered, giggling to herself. Pulling herself out of bed, she tripped and crashed into the wall. Shane and Peggy looked up, alarmed.

"Mitchie?" Peggy called. Shane rushed to the door and pulled it open. Mitchie sat on the ground, holding her head, laughing hysterically.

"Mitchie! What on earth did you do?" Shane laughed, staring at her. She looked up at him, giggling.

"I tripped getting out of bed. And hit my head on the wall. Now. I'm gonna get dressed, so you need to leave." She stated, standing up and pushing them out the door. Shutting it behind her, she continued to laugh. "I'm so clumsy!" She giggled, walking over to her suitcase. Deciding to go relaxed today, she threw on a light yellow fitted t-shirt with light pink sweatpants. Fixing her hair into a high ponytail, she frowned into the mirror. "This is as good as it's gonna get." She decided, smiling brightly at her reflection.

Carefully this time, she walked towards the door and stepped out. Mitchie wrinkled her nose. 'Something smells amazing!' She thought, rushing towards the scent. Shane glanced up from the pan, a piece of bacon hanging out of his mouth. "Shane! Chew!" Peggy commanded, laughing. Mitchie hugged him tightly.

"What are you doing Shane?" Mitchie asked, hopping up on the kitchen counter. He grinned at her around the piece of bacon.

"Eating bacon." He said with some difficulty, given the bacon was hanging from his mouth. Mitchie giggled and leaned forward, taking a bite. "Hey!" Shane cried, though it was muffled by the bacon. "That was mine!"

Mitchie grinned at him. "It's mine now." She giggled, chewing and swallowing quickly. Shane pouted and she giggled again, jumping off the counter and running back to the room as she heard her cell phone ring. "I'll be right back!" She called, her voice muffled as though she were rifling through her purse. "Hey mom!" She cried, then her voice tapered off. Shane glanced at Peggy, who shrugged. "WHAT?" Mitchie's scream filled the whole tour bus.

Shane ran to the door and slammed it open. Mitchie crumpled to the floor, phone clutched to her ear, tears brimming. Shane could hear her mother's soothing voice, also laced with pain. "Mitchie, what's wrong?" He asked, kneeling next to her. She shook her head, pressing her fist to her mouth to stop the sobs. "Mitchie, what's wrong?" Shane repeated, hugging her tightly. Mitchie hung up the phone, finally letting out the sobs she had been holding in.

She turned and collapsed on Shane, clutching at his shirt, staining it with her tears. "Shane..." She gasped, still sobbing. He held her close, rubbing her back. "Shane, my brother died." Mitchie sobbed, hugging him tightly.

"Oh my God." He murmured, pressing her close to him. "Mitchie, I am so sorry. There aren't any words...what happened?" He asked, running his fingers through her hair.

"He was a senior in college. And there was a fire in his dorm, and uhm, it started because his roommate was making something in the microwave. And he hadn't peeled the foil off, and it exploded, and caught fire, and uhm." She paused for a minute, crying. "And his roommate freaked and ran, and totally forgot...or just didn't go back for Aaron." She finished, biting her lip. Shane stared at her in shock.

"Oh my God Mitchie. I'm so sorry." He breathed, picking her up and laying her down on the bed. "I'll be right back, okay?" He whispered, rushing out of the door. Nate, Jason and Peggy stood there, waiting. "Guys. Her brother just died in a fire. I'm gonna try to get her to sleep or at least stop sobbing." He explained. "Though I wouldn't be able to stop crying if it were me." Shane added, turning and going back to Mitchie's side. Sitting down on the bed, he held her in his arms, rocking her slowly.

"I'm here for you, and I love you so much. If you want to talk, you know I'll listen." He reassured her, laying down. She nodded, her eyes puffy and red.

"Right now I just want you to hold me and tell me it'll be alright." She whispered, her voice hoarse. He nodded and pulled her against him, letting her head rest on his shoulder.

"I can do that." He told her, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. She murmured something, burying her face in his neck, before closing her eyes. "Go to sleep Mitchie." He whispered, setting his head down on the pillow. Mitchie continued to sniffle for a few minutes, until her breathing evened out and she snuggled against Shane calmly.

* * *

Out in the main room, Nate, Jason and Peggy sat there, stunned. "I can't believe this." Peggy mumbled, tears welling up in her eyes. "I feel awful for Mitchie." Jason looked over.

"Oh, Peggy, don't cry!" He pleaded, sliding off the couch to kneel in front of her. Gently, he wiped her tears away. "I hate it when you cry." He added, taking her hand. Nate kept quiet, not believing what was going on.

Peggy smiled, her eyes still watery. "Jason, can I talk to you for a second?" She asked, standing up and going for her room. Jason stood and walked with her, shooting a panicked look over his shoulder at Nate.

"What do I do?" He mouthed, his eyes wide. Nate shrugged, slumping down in his chair sadly. It looked like everyone was getting together with someone; except him.

"Figures." He muttered, picking up a book and resting his feet up on the table nearby.

Mitchie awoke with a start, screaming. Shane shot up next to her. "Mitchie, what's wrong?" He asked, touching her arm. Her whole body shook, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I was there; I was with him, and he reached out his hand to me and I tried to grab it, I tried to save him, I promise I did, but then there was a huge wave of heat and light, and he was gone, and Shane, I loved him, I really did." Mitchie gasped, beginning to cry again. Shane held her close to him.

"Oh Mitchie, I know you loved him. And he knows it too. Mitchie, baby, breathe. Come on, a bit slower. You're close to a panic attack; come on, breathe." Shane murmured, rubbing her back soothingly. "There you go. Do you want to go back to sleep, or would you rather go out there?" She shook her head frantically.

"I can't go out there." She breathed, clutching his shirt. "I want to lay here with you, and try and pretend this isn't real."

"Baby, that won't work. You can't ignore this; it will only hurt more." Shane whispered, moving with her as she laid down again.

"I know. But I'm scared to get hurt." Mitchie admitted, tears falling softly. Shane wiped them away with his thumb.

"We're all here for you. Don't be afraid to get hurt. We all love you."

_**Greg Allen was an amazing friend. He died yesterday due to heart complications. Please pray for his family. He will be sorely missed; but never forgotten.**_

_**Greg**_

_**I love you. I miss you. I'll be seeing you. **_


	9. Chapter 9

_**This Is Me**_

**Still grieving, for those of you who expressed sympathy. Thank you so much for the support I needed. His death was a shock to everyone, and we're all devastated. Unfortunately, I'm writing this chapter when I'm truly not ready. Though I feel I have to; since I'll be leaving for Philadelphia soon, and you'd be without an update for a quite a while if I didn't do this now.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Camp Rock, or any of the characters. **

Shane pressed a kiss to Mitchie's forehead as he slipped out of the room. Peggy was waiting for him, curled on Jason's lap. "I got the prints when we stopped last night. We can hang them anytime, as long as we know Mitchie will be in there for a while." Peggy told him, and Shane nodded.

"She's gonna be in her room for a while I think. She's destroyed over her brother. Which I can understand." Shane added, sitting down on the couch. Jason wasn't involved in the conversation; rather, he was watching interestedly as a fly buzzed around the room. "Jason? What are you doing?" Shane asked, watching as his friend's eyes darted around the room.

"Watching a fly." Jason said as though it were obvious. Shane rolled his eyes and Peggy giggled, hugging him. Shane rolled his eyes again and went back to where Mitchie slept peacefully.

Laying down behind her and wrapping her in his arms, he pressed his lips to her neck, murmuring in her ear. "I love you, I love you, I love you." She shifted slightly, turning to look at him. Her eyes were slightly puffy; other than that her tears were hidden.

"I love you too." She whispered, hugging him tightly. "Will you stay with me?" Mitchie asked, pushing her lower lip out. Shane nodded, dipping his head down to kiss her lightly. Her cell phone rang. She glanced at the cover. "It's my mom. I can't talk...will you talk to her?" She asked, tears already welling up in her eyes again. He nodded and took the phone from her.

"Connie? Hey. No, she's asleep right now. She spent most of last night awake, crying. I stayed up with her until she passed out from exhaustion. Uh huh. Okay. Well here's the thing; we're about 3 hours from California actually. So we could meet up with you. Yes. Are you sure? Okay...I'll ask her when she gets up. I don't want to agree until I know how she feels about it. Connie, I'm so sorry for your loss. I know; she's taking it pretty hard. Okay, I'll ask. Thank you so much." Shane hung up and sat down next to her.

"She and your dad are flying out to California for the funeral, because all of Aaron's friends and a lot of your family are out there. Since we're so close, we're gonna meet them at their hotel, and attending the service with them. Your mom wants to know if you want to go home with them; or continue the tour. I told her I'd let you decide." Shane told her, pulling her onto his lap.

"I definitely want to meet up with them; and I think I want to keep touring. I don't want to give up my dream just because there was a huge obstacle. Aaron wouldn't have wanted that, I don't think." Mitchie stated, twisting so she straddled Shane. "And I want to spend more time with you." She added, dropping her head on his shoulder.

He stroked her hair, laying down with her on top of him. "I know you do. And I want all the time possible with you." He whispered, looking into her eyes. "But I also want you to be happy. And if going home with your family makes you happy, then okay."

Mitchie shook her head, a few tears leaking out. "You've made me happier than I've ever been Shane." She whispered, smiling at him.

"I love hearing that. Now you need to go back to sleep, you're exhausted; I can see it in your eyes." Shane stated, rolling her over so she was under him. "I'll be right here. Well, not right here, hovering over you, but I'll be next to you. If you need me." He promised, laughing at how badly his words had come out.

"I'll always need you." Mitchie murmured, bringing him down to her eye level and tangling her fingers in his hair, drawing him close for a quick but sensual kiss. Shane's eyes widened; before he could even respond, she had pulled away. "I'm gonna go to sleep now." She breathed, snuggling against him and closing her eyes. He stared down at her, full of love and amusement.

Three hours later, Nate poked his head in the room. "Mitchie...Shane...we talked to Mitchie's mom, who gave us the hotel name. We'll be there in maybe a half hour." He announced, shutting the door. Shane opened his eyes and blinked.

"Mitchie, we're about thirty minutes away from the hotel. Do you wanna get up?" He asked, and got no response. "Mitchie..." He murmured, sliding his hands down her hips. "Come on, get up. We have to get in the shower."

Mitchie's eyes flew open. "We?" She asked, wrinkling her nose. Shane's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

I did NOT mean it like that." He declared as Mitchie giggled, a slight blush creeping up her cheeks. She bit her lip and smiled at him.

"Well, even if you did, it's not happening." She scolded, grinning. Shane shrugged and rose off the bed. "I'm gonna get in the shower. Can you occupy yourself?" Mitchie teased, smiling at him. He nodded and kissed her cheek before leaving for the common room.

Muttering to himself, he sat down on the couch and started tapping his foot. "Nate, bring your guitar over here. I've got a song." He stated, grinning reaching for a notebook and pen.

"One minute and the earth begins to shake, two minutes and my hearts begins to break, another minute and she makes me feel brand new, that's just three minutes with you, four minutes and she's everything I see, five minutes and shes where I wanna be, another minute everything feels so new , that's just six minutes with you, I need six minutes." Shane murmured, scribbling his words down quickly. Nate peered over his shoulder, and smiled.

"Mitchie?" He asked, grinning down at his friend.

"Mitchie." Shane confirmed, still writing furiously. Jason and Peggy smiled. Shane paused for a moment and tilted his head to the side. As they all listened carefully, they could hear Mitchie's voice coming from the shower.

Shane's face broke into a smile and he returned to his writing.

* * *

"Mom!" Mitchie wailed, throwing herself at her already crying mother outside the church. Her father stood behind his wife, one hand on her shoulder as he too blinked back tears. "I can't believe this is actually happening." Mitchie whispered, hugging her mom tightly.

Shane stood back a few feet, not sure what he should do. The rest of the group hung back, shifting nervously. They loved Mitchie, but they hadn't met her parents. Shane stepped forward and offered his hand to Mitchie's dad.

"It's terrible that we have to see each other under these circumstances." Shane murmured, shaking his hand. "These are my friends Nate and Jason, and Jason's girlfriend Peggy who is also touring with us." He introduced and Mr. Torres nodded, attempting a smile. It resulted in a grimace. Mitchie and her mother were still hugging and crying.

Sniffling, Mitchie stepped back and nodded. "Okay. Let's go in." She took her mother and father's hands, and took a few hesitant steps towards the door. "We have to go in." She stated, biting her lip. Failing to hold her tears back, she turned and threw herself at Shane, sobbing.

"If I get too upset...take me outside." She breathed, clutching him. Her parents had gone inside, both crying openly now. Peggy too had teared up, and Jason was hugging her. Shane nodded, and she whispered her thanks. Shane hugged her again and the group made their way inside, all sobbing inwardly.

Halfway through the service, Mitchie grabbed Shane's hand and he nodded. "We'll be back." He mouthed, and led her out of the church. Once they were outside, Mitchie broke down, collapsing on the ground. Shane grabbed her before she could hit the ground and slowly sank down to sit with her. "Oh Mitchie..." He whispered, hugging her tightly. "If I knew it would help, I'd say it'll all be okay." He murmured. She looked up at him, and he felt his heart breaking when he looked in her tear filled eyes.

"If I knew it would help, I'd listen." She whispered, starting to cry again. Resting her head on his shoulder, she tried to slow her tears.

"Don't try and stop your tears. You need to cry." Shane coached, rubbing her arm and holding her close to him. She nodded and hugged him tightly.

"I'm so glad I have you." Mitchie whispered, blinking away tears. Shane smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"I'm glad you have me too." He attempted to joke, and stopped. "No, I'm always here for you. You know that. And I'm so lucky that you're with me." He added, sliding his arms under her legs and behind her back, scooping her onto his lap.

"I'm also glad I wore waterproof." Mitchie cracked a smile, and Shane threw his head back and laughed. Mitchie laid her head on his shoulder, sniffling slightly. "Shane, can we go back in?" She asked, taking his hand.

"Are you sure?" He asked, looking into her eyes. She nodded, rising and grabbing his hand again. "Okay, but we can come back out if you need to." He whispered, as they stepped inside and reclaimed their seats in the second pew.

* * *

The service was over; Shane had a protective arm around Mitchie's waist, drawing her closer whenever a passing boy would smile in her direction. "Shane, chill, they're not gonna hit on me at a funeral." She hissed, wiping away a single tear. Shane shrugged and drew her closer still, glaring at one of Aaron's friends. As Mitchie scolded him, a tall slender brunette slid up to Shane.

"Hey. I'm Brittany. Your music is really cool. Wanna hang out at the hotel?" She drawled, totally ignoring Mitchie. Shane's jaw dropped, not believing the gall of this girl.

Mitchie rolled her eyes and snapped, "Back off. What kind of girl hits on guys at a funeral? And anyone could see he's got a girlfriend! Who happens to be me!" Brittany recoiled from Mitchie, glaring at her sharply.

"I was just offering, no need to get all defensive." Brittany hissed, stalking off. Shane glanced down at Mitchie, smiling.

"'Shane, chill, they're not gonna hit on me at a funeral' I believe were your words." He teased, kissing her cheek. Mitchie rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry I got defensive. It just isn't cool for me to see other girls like that around you." She muttered, hugging him protectively. He laughed again.

"It's okay. I kinda like you fending off crazed fan-girls. I just might keep you around." He drawled, taking her hand and leading her down the steps to the limo that waited to take close friends and family back to the hotel.

* * *

Mitchie slid his key card into the door, breathing heavily as Shane placed several kisses along her neck and collarbone. Fumbling with the handle, they fell into Shane's room. Mitchie walked backwards towards the bed, locked in a heated kiss with her boyfriend. Breaking the kiss and wrapping his tie around her fingers, she pulled him closer, until she fell back onto the bed, Shane landing on top of her. Shane pulled the tie off and stood up.

"I'll be right back." He promised, his voice low. Quickly, he snapped the door open and hung the tie loosely around the handle.

Mitchie sat up, "What did you do?" she inquired upon his return, pulling him down on top of her. Shane grinned down at her.

"Putting up a do not disturb sign of sorts." He murmured, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her slowly. She broke away, horrified.

"My parents..."

"Don't know that this is my room." He finished, pressing his lips to hers again. She smiled into the embrace, wrapping one pantyhose-clad leg around his waist. Her already knee-length dress had slid up several inches, leaving a daring amount of exposed skin for Shane to take in. "God you're beautiful." Shane murmured, sliding her dress up farther. Mitchie's hand stopped him.

"How far are we going?" She asked, chest rising and falling rapidly, her face slightly flushed. Shane paused, and she bit her lip.

"As far as you want." He finally decided, and she relaxed her hand. "Are you sure?" He asked once, and she nodded. Slowly, he slid her dress up and over her arms. Casually, as though it were a tissue, he threw it over his shoulder, not bothering to watch it land on the couch opposite the bed. Mitchie shivered and pulled Shane down so he was pressed against her. "I could get used to this." He murmured, rubbing her sides to warm her up. Mitchie kissed him suddenly, latching her hands around his neck. Shane froze. Mitchie pulled away, confused. "I'm waiting for Nate to interrupt." He breathed, glaring at the door. They both laid still for a moment, waiting silently. Nothing. Taking that as his go ahead, Shane reconnected their mouths, sliding his tongue into her waiting mouth. Arching her back, Mitchie wrapped her other leg around his waist, drawing him in.

"Oh my God Shane." Mitchie gasped as he slowly dragged his hands up her thighs, over her stomach and finally settling on her breasts. "Shane." She whispered, sitting up and quickly unbuttoning his shirt, flinging it in the same direction as her dress. With sudden determination, she turned so she hovered over him. Silently, her lips ghosted over his chest and he threw his head back onto the pillow. After a moment, Shane turned them back and straddled her hips, staring down at her. She met his eyes, and bit her lip.

"Make me forget."

**And...scene. Next time, you'll get your Smitchie Smut, I promise. Thoughts? The smut is already written, I'm just waiting for your thoughts to post it.**


	10. Chapter 10

_**This Is Me**_

**You don't care, you want the almost sex. Hahaha. Oh, the 100th review was BloodKatana, and she makes her appearance here as Heather. Yay! There will probably be another prize for the 200th reviewer, and we're getting close to that. I believe we're at 156 right now. **

**Quick question. Nate and Jason? Friends with Shane or brothers too? I don't think they're brothers, so I'm gonna make up a last name for them. **

**Disclaimer: Sighhh.**

Shane pressed his mouth onto hers, and fought back a groan as Mitchie flicked his belt off and shed his jeans. Kissing her sweetly, he raised her leg in the air, sliding her pantyhose down her smooth skin. Coming back to her mouth, he caressed her face, ready to take this next step in their relationship. Mitchie moaned urgently, her fingers tangled in her hair. A knock at the bedroom door.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me." She hissed, ignoring it and kissing him fiercely. The knock sounded again, and Shane paused.

"It could be important." He reasoned, still not moving to answer it. "Who is it?" He yelled, faking an exhausted voice.

"It's Nate, dumb ass." Mitchie rolled her eyes and slid out from under her boyfriend. Pausing in the bathroom to wrap a towel around herself, she flung the door open and dragged Nate inside.

"This had better be pretty important, because we were about to get somewhere. Now talk." She pushed him up against the wall, her eyes flashing. Shane had slid his jeans back on and moved to join her.

"Seriously dude, you come at like, the worst times. Could you just go...somewhere else?" Shane asked, giving his friend a sarcastic smile. Nate blinked at Shane.

"Guys, sorry to interrupt the fuck fest or whatever, but Mitchie's parents are waiting downstairs to say goodbye to her. They've gotta get back to Chicago and are leaving soon." Nate stated, as though it were obvious. Mitchie's eyes widened and she rushed to the bed.

"Shane! Where's my dress?" She shrieked, searching under the bed. Turning, she saw it crumpled on the couch. Grabbing it, she rushed to the bathroom and dressed in a hurry. Nate leaned against the hotel room door, watching Shane pull on his shirt, only to find it backwards. Mitchie was brushing her hair and applying new lip gloss at the same time. She gave herself one last critical glance and turned to Nate. "Can you tell?" She asked, biting her lip. He fought back laughter and shook his head.

"Ready?" Shane asked, wrapping an arm around her waist and leading her out the door. The elevator ride down was silent, except for Nate's muffled laughter. The elevator doors slid open; his breath caught in his throat.

"Heather!" Mitchie cried, rushing forward to hug a blonde girl standing in the lobby. The girl turned, and Nate felt his heart lurch. Her eyes lit up, a startling blue. She screamed and hugged Mitchie tightly. They talked excitedly, and Shane glanced down at his friend.

"Someone has a crush on the cousin." He teased, clapping a hand on Nate's shoulder. "This is a surprise for Mitchie; we're bringing her cousin Heather on tour with us." He explained, and Nate's eyes widened.

"Sweet." He murmured, checking his hair in the mirrored surface of the elevator. Mitchie hugged her parents tightly.

"Thank you so much." She breathed, wrapping her arms around her dad. "This is going to be so much fun!" She squealed, hugging Heather again. Shane and Nate stepped out of the elevator, walking over to wear the family stood.

Heather heard the footsteps; she turned and gasped. "You're...you're..." She stammered, staring at Nate. Shane didn't notice and nodded.

"Yeah, Shane Grey, nice to meet you." He offered her hand, and she slid past him to look at Nate. Mitchie laughed and hugged Shane tightly. "I've never lost to Nate." He laughed, sounding a bit stunned, kissing her head.

"You're Nate from Connect 3." Heather breathed, blinking rapidly. Nate nodded, offering his hand. She hesitated; took it and smiled. "I'm very pleased and scared to meet you." She whispered, smiling gently.

"Why's that?" Nate asked, tilting his head to the side. Heather laughed nervously, looking back at Mitchie, who was tangled in Shane's arms.

"Mitchie...what are you doing?" She gasped, staring at her cousin. Mitchie giggled and kissed Shane lightly.

"Meet my boyfriend Shane." Mitchie offered, grinning. Shane waved at her, beaming happily. "And his friend Nate, though I think you're meeting him well enough on your own."

Heather blushed slightly and looked back at Nate. "It's a pleasure. But I'm scared that I'm going to do something stupid and make you think I'm...stupid." She finished awkwardly.

Nate shook his head, smiling. "We'll see. Do you have your bags?" He asked, glancing behind her. She nodded and grabbed Mitchie's arm as she passed.

"Are you telling me that the 'surprise vacation' your parents told me about after the funeral is...going with you guys?" She asked, her voice low. Mitchie shrugged.

"I don't really know anything about what's going on. But you can ask the masterminds themselves." Mitchie pointed at her parents and Heather nodded, walking over to Mitchie's parents. "Nate! Shane! Come grab these bags please." She called, and both boys stopped whispering to join her.

Nate grabbed both bags, smiling at Mitchie. "Your cousin...is amazing." He whispered, turning and walking towards the tour bus. Shane grinned at his girlfriend.

"Not only do we get to hang with your cousin, we can get Nate out of his slump. Nice." He stated, high fiving her. Mitchie laughed and grabbed her overnight bag, following Nate.

Shane took it from her, and laced their fingers together. "I'll put this on the bus. You go say goodbye to your parents." He pulled her near for a short kiss, then freed her to talk to her parents. He walked to the bus and turned to see Mitchie and Heather squealing.

"I love that girl." He whispered, smiling.

* * *

Heather climbed the stairs and gasped. Nate grabbed her arm and pulled her into his room. "Don't say anything. Jason and Peggy are in his room. Shane and Mitchie are having their first date tonight. So...we can do whatever. As long as we don't go out there." He explained, letting go of her arm.

"That's so sweet." Heather murmured, tentatively sitting down on his bed. "So. Let's talk." Nate sighed happily staring at her eyes; a cerulean blue.

Shane waited outside the bus, and felt his heart rate increase as Mitchie approached. "Shane? Are you okay? You look...nervous." Mitchie asked, studying him. He shrugged and took her hand, leading her up the steps of the bus. She gasped, tears welling in her eyes.

The bus furniture had been moved somewhere; a small table sat in the center of the room with two chairs. The lighting was dim and warm. Glancing around, she pressed her hand to her mouth. Several black and white poster size pictures of her and Shane decorated the bus. Wiping away a tear, she stepped closer, smiling.

Studying them, she hugged Shane. "That one is my favorite." She whispered, pointing at a picture of them curled together on the couch, rain visible in the background. Mitchie's eyes were closed, her head tucked against his shoulder. Shane was looking down at her, a small smile playing on his lips.

She turned, taking all of them in. "Shane, how did you do this?" She breathed, biting her lip. He shrugged and pointed at Jason's door.

"Peggy took the pictures and told me about them one night while you slept. She and Jason got them developed and blown up to poster size; and while we were inside they hung them up. So I really didn't do anything." He grinned, taking her hand. "But I did cook dinner." He added, pointing at the covered plates, and she laughed.

Sitting down in one of the chairs, Mitchie placed her hand tentatively on the cover. "May I?" She asked, biting her lip and smiling. Shane leaned forward and pulled it off with a flourish. Mitchie laughed, looking at her plate.

"Fancy food didn't feel very 'Shane and Mitchie,' so I decided to make my famous...er...your mom's famous Torres burgers." He explained, grinning. Mitchie giggled.

"And french fries." She put in, popping a fry in her mouth, smiling. Shane nodded.

"And french fries." He agreed, eating one. She laughed, and leaned across the table, taking his hands in hers.

"Thank you. You did surprise me; which I remember you warning me about. I didn't expect a thing. I love the food and the photography." She whispered, smiling brightly. Shane smiled at her and kissed her lightly across the food.

"There's more. We can either eat, and you can wait for your next surprise, or you can get your surprise now and we can all eat later." Mitchie bit her lip.

"I think I want my surprise now." She admitted, laughing. Shane rolled his eyes and stood up.

"How did I guess? Guys, come on out." He called, and a moment later Jason and Nate emerged from their respective rooms, instruments at the ready.

"What's going on?" Mitchie asked, searching their faces. Heather and Peggy sat down on the couch that had been pressed up against the opposite wall, grinning in anticipation.

"One, two, three, four." Shane snapped out a quick tempo, and the boys started playing.

"_Take my hand tonight  
We can run so far  
We can change the world to anything you want  
We can talk for hours just staring at the stars  
They shine down to show us_

_You know when the sun forgets to shine  
I'll be there to hold you through the night  
And we'll be running so fast we can fly tonight  
And even when we're miles and miles apart  
You're still holding all of my heart  
I promise it will never be dark  
I know..we're inseparable_

_We could run forever if you wanted to  
I would not get tired  
Because I'd be with you  
I'll keep singing this song until the very end  
We have done all these things_

_You know when the sun forgets to shine  
I'll be there to hold you through the night  
We'll be runnin' so fast we can fly tonight  
And even when we're miles and miles apart  
You'll still be holdin' all of my heart  
I promise it will never be dark  
I know..we're inseparable_

_I would give it all  
and never let you fall  
Cause you know we're inseparable  
I would give it up  
Just to show you I'm in love  
Cause you know we're inseparable_

_You know when the sun forgets to shine  
I'll be there to hold you through the night  
We'll be runnin' so fast we can fly tonight  
And even when we're miles and miles apart  
You'll still be holdin' all of my heart  
I promise it will never be dark  
I know..we're inseparable_"

Shane finished, staring into Mitchie's eyes that had filled up with tears. She jumped up and kissed him happily.

"That was...amazing. Please tell me you're going to record that!" Mitchie exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him. He shrugged.

"I'm not sure yet. That song is too...I wrote it for you. I'm not sure I want other people hearing something I wrote for you, something that...important." He told her, and she nodded, understanding.

"Well, I loved it. Best first date ever, Shane Grey." Mitchie whispered, kissing his cheek.

* * *

**Okay, well I was going to go on. But I'm kind of depressed right now; so before I totally break down, I'm stopping. So, BloodKatana was the 100th reviewer, her character Heather appeared here, and will continue to do so. Smitchie finally had their first date, and we finally solved the Peggy/Camera mystery! Oh, and the song is Inseparable, by the Jonas Brothers. **


	11. Chapter 11

_**This Is Me**_

**So this just came to me, and I couldn't bear to keep it bottled up or whatever. So I'm gonna write it really quick; it'll probably be crazy short, but whatever. (Or not, I'm adding this as I finish page 7.) Heather might make an appearance; she probably will. I don't know. Just go with it. After this chapter, no matter how you beg; and you will, I'm going to take my break, okay? Thanks.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own it. Sigh.**

**Warnings:...just be careful. I don't know.**

Mitchie opened her eyes and smiled. She loved waking up like this; in Shane's arms. He was still asleep, his face buried in her hair. Yawning, she rolled over, facing her boyfriend. Pressing her lips to his cheek, his eyes fluttered open. Smiling, she brushed her lips over his, barely touching. He pouted. "What, no good morning make out?" He teased, his eyes crinkling as he smiled.

"Nuh uh. You've got morning breath." She teased in return, crawling out of bed to brush her teeth. Shane followed, brushing his teeth with one hand, the other protectively on her waist. "You make me really happy." She said casually, smiling up at him. He blinked and smiled.

"I really like hearing that." He replied after rinsing. "Now that we're both minty fresh, how about that make out session?" He proposed, scooping her up, only to lay her down on the bed. Shane crawled up over her, supporting himself by his arms. Mitchie shook her head, biting her lip.

"Nope. After last night in your room, I'm feeling kind of weird about everything." Mitchie confessed, blinking several times. Shane instantly laid down beside her, the concerned boyfriend part of him taking over.

"What's wrong?" He asked, brushing her forehead with his lips. She looked up at him, still biting her lip. "You're gonna make your lip bleed if you keep biting it like that." He scolded playfully. Mitchie rolled her eyes and stopped.

"You know; it was like we were so close last night; and that scared me. I was scared that I'd lose everything unintentionally. It's like, I'm not scared of you and I'm not scared of the commitment. I'm scared of the consequences. And...I'm not scared. I'm just afraid." She whispered, closing her eyes. Shane sat quietly, thinking.

"Okay." He stated, climbing off the bed, smiling down at her. "We should go get breakfast." He added, taking her hand and leading her out into the main room. Mitchie blinked a few times. This wasn't exactly the reaction she had expected.

The others looked up at the couple as they entered. Shane gave Nate a meaningful glance and nodded slightly. Nate rose from his chair, kissing Heather lightly on the cheek.

"I'll be right back. I've gotta talk to Shane." He explained, grabbing Shane's arm and pulling him into his room. "Mitchie, there's eggs on the stove, and the bacon is hidden. Good luck." He advised, grinning and shutting the door behind Shane. "What are you thinking Shane? And whatever it is, don't. I know that look. It's the look you get before you do something reckless and crazy."

Shane laughed and shook his head. "Nate, my friend, I think I'm going to give Mitchie the ring." Nate's jaw dropped, and nothing came out. His mouth moved wordlessly, his eyes wide. "Yeah, you know you look like a goldfish?" Shane teased, throwing himself down backwards onto Nate's bed.

"You want to give her the ring." Nate stated, staring at his friend. Shane nodded casually, twisting the ring on his finger nervously. "You want to give her the ring. And do what with it?" He demanded, still in shock.

"I plan to tell her that she's in my plans for the future. And I'm pretty sure I have her sketched in as my wife." Shane stated, looking up into Nate's eyes; his own almost ebony with intensity.

"Your wife." Nate stated, sitting down on his dresser. Shane nodded. "Your wife." Nate repeated dumbly. Jumping off the dresser, he flung the door open. "JASON!" He yelled, waiting for his friend to come running. After Jason entered, he slammed the door shut again. "Explain." Nate muttered, rubbing his head. Shane shrugged.

"Jason, I'm gonna marry Mitchie." He stated, grinning at his friend. Jason grinned and high fived Shane, his eyes lighting up.

"Sweet...does she know yet?" He asked eagerly. Shane and Nate shook their heads. Nate glanced up.

"Oh, and he's gonna give her the ring." Nate added, smirking at Shane. Jason's jaw dropped, and he stared at Shane.

"You're giving her the ring...like the promise ring? Like the ring that said you were giving to The Girl?" Jason asked, putting emphasis on 'the' and 'girl.' Shane nodded. Jason's eyes widened. "You're actually gonna marry her?" He asked and Shane glared at him.

"Didn't I just say that?" He snapped, tired of this discussion. Jason blinked.

"I thought you were kidding. Like the time you said you were gonna marry bacon." He replied, rolling his eyes. "Cus we all knew that one wouldn't work out." He added, grinning. Shane groaned.

"Whatever. I'm regretting even telling you two. Don't tell your girls, okay? Don't. I'll hurt you with a toothpick. And you know I could do it." He snapped, opening the door sharply. Sitting down on the couch with a huff, Shane buried his face into a pillow, screaming curse words. As he reached a particularly high pitch, all three girls winced at the sound of shattering glass.

Peggy and Heather glanced at him and then at Mitchie. "Is he okay?" Heather asked nervously as Shane continued screaming. Mitchie sat down next to him and pulled his face out of the pillow.

"You okay?" She asked, fighting back giggles. "Cus you broke the coffee pot." She added, breaking down and laughing. Peggy and Heather giggled as well, as they bent over to pick up the bigger pieces of glass. "Now if you're okay, you're gonna need to stop the screaming. If you're not okay—" Mitchie was cut off by his lips on hers.

Shane cupped her face in his hands, kissing her deeply. As he pulled away, he smiled. "I'm okay now." He mumbled, hugging her tightly and inhaling her perfume. Mitchie blinked, very confused. "Love you." Shane mumbled again, and she grinned.

"Love you too."

* * *

_"For My sake of mind it's getting the best of me  
I need you next to me  
I'll try to find a way that I can  
Get to you  
I just wanna to get to you_

The world I see is perfect now  
You're all around  
With you I can breath

Until You're Mine  
I have to find a way  
To fill the soul inside  
I have to find  
Way without you  
Here by my side  
Until You're Mine  
Not gonna be  
Able complete  
I won't rest until you're mine (mine)

Oh wow inside I can  
Only hear you voice  
Ringing through the noise  
I can't find my mind it  
Keeps on coming back to you  
It all leads back to you

I wanted something out of reach  
It's killing me  
You're all I see

Until You're Mine  
I have to find a way  
To fill the soul inside  
I have to find  
Way without you  
Here by my side  
Until You're Mine  
Not gonna be  
Able complete  
I won't rest until you're mine (mine)

It's so good to be  
If we were meant to be together  
By being so close  
I'm ready to begin  
The waiting has to wind  
Right now, Today  
I have to find a way  
Mine!  
Until You're Mine

Without you here by my side  
Until You're Mine  
Not gonna be  
Able complete  
I won't rest until you're mine (mine)

For My sake of mind it's getting the best of me  
I need you next to me"

Mitchie finished singing into the microphone, clutching her headphones to one ear. "How was that?" She asked, glancing up at her friends through the glass partition. Everyone smiled and clapped. Shane looked into her eyes and made his decision he had been trying to make all day. Nate and Jason hadn't been particularly supportive, but it wasn't their choice.

"I have something for you." He said into the microphone sliding a silver band off his finger. She pulled off her headphones and looked at him. "Close your eyes and hold out your hands." Shane ordered playfully. She closed her eyes and held her palms out and up. Shane came into the recording room, taking her left hand and flipped it over so her palm faced down. Thinking quickly, he shoved the microphone away to the other side so the others wouldn't hear him. Gently, he spread her fingers and slid the silver band onto her ring finger. Her eyes flew open and she stared down at her hand, then at Shane.

"My parents gave me this ring when I turned 14, and I promised that I would wait for marriage to have sex. I'm giving it to you now, because I think you deserve it." He stated, taking her hands in his. Mitchie stared up at him wordlessly.

"But...won't you need it for when you get married?" She asked numbly, holding her hand out in front of her and watching the silver band sparkle there. Shane chuckled and kissed her head.

"Will you hold onto it for me until then?" He asked seriously, rubbing her hand with his thumb. For the third time she stared up at him.

"Shane...what are you talking about?" Mitchie asked, her voice shaking slightly. Shane paused, choosing his words carefully. Wording was important—the slightest difference could make her run, or swoon.

"Mitchie...I have every intention of marrying you one day." Shane stated, looking into her eyes. She felt the air rush from her lungs; the room was spinning. Grabbing at his shirt, she caught herself.

"Shane..." Mitchie breathed, biting her lip, staring into his eyes that were close to black with passion. "Are you sure?" She asked, brushing her hand along his cheek. He closed his eyes, relishing her featherlight touch.

"I'm positive." He assured her, kissing her warmly. Mitchie smiled, closing her eyes and kissing him in return.

"Good. Because I really don't want to be without you." She whispered, gazing into his eyes. Shane breathed in relief, kissing her again.

"You don't think we're moving too fast?" He asked, rubbing her cheek gently. She bit her lip, thinking it over carefully.

"Well, it's not like we're getting married tomorrow. Or even next year. We're just deciding that we do want to be together. I don't think that's too fast. My parents would think so; but they're not here right now." Mitchie admitted, a smile lighting up her face.

* * *

Nate buried his head in his hands. "He's rushing into this." He stated, and Heather rolled her eyes as she rubbed his back soothingly.

"I think it's sweet." She breathed, staring at Mitchie and Shane through the glass wall. Nate rolled his eyes, not lifting his head.

Shane opened the door for his girlfriend, and she smiled appreciatively up at him. Peggy and Heather abandoned their boyfriends, squealing and grabbing her hand. Shane rolled his eyes.

"Guys...guys...Peggy! Heather!" They glanced up at him. "The same rings are on Nate and Jason's fingers." He pointed out, and they squealed again, returning to the guys. "I just wanted you to myself." Shane whispered, hugging Mitchie, grinning.

* * *

Shane turned at glanced at Mitchie from the stove. She sat on the couch, staring at his ring dreamily. "It's really mine now isn't it?" She sighed, taking a deep breath. "Yes. It is." She decided, squealing. The ring that had been the talk of almost every gossip magazine and show was sitting on her finger. And it was hers now. He had said so. Shane smiled, abandoning the cooking food to sit next to her.

"It looks good on you." He commented, pulling her close. "I can't wait to put a second and third ring on you." He breathed, kissing her cheek. Mitchie blushed, biting her lip.

"You really see me in your future?" She asked again, grinning. He nodded, taking her hand and watching his ring shine against her skin. "Good, because that's where I want to be." She stated, pulling him from his daydreams.

"You're going to be a gorgeously breathtaking bride." Shane mumbled, kissing her neck lightly. "You're already breathtaking," He added, his hot breath tickling her.

"Shane, we're not planning now." She teased, sliding behind him, crossing her legs in front of him. "I'm going to play with your hair." Mitchie announced, grabbing her purse and taking out several hair ties and a small brush.

Shane glanced in the mirror twenty minutes later. "I look like Sanjaya." He stated, and she giggled, pressing her hand to her mouth.

"I couldn't help it. It was too easy to resist." She laughed, kissing his cheek. "Thank you for being a good sport." She breathed, kissing him again.

"It felt good at the time. I like feeling your hands on me." He murmured, not thinking about what he was saying. She giggled and pushed herself forward to glance into his eyes. "Oh, I didn't mean it like that!" He defended, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks. "I didn't!" The stove let out a warning whistle and both teens jumped.

"Shit!" Shane muttered, jumping off the couch and rushing to the food. Nate and Heather, followed by Jason and Peggy entered the room.

"I smell food." Jason announced, falling into a chair at the table, not noticing his friend's hair. Nate stared in horror at Mitchie.

"What did you do to Shane?" He gasped, and Mitchie giggled. Heather and Peggy stared at Shane's head, trying not to laugh.

"I made him prettier." Mitchie gasped through her laughter. Nate groaned and plopped down in his seat. "I can do your hair next Nate." She teased, and his eyes widened in horror. Shaking his head emphatically, his curls bounced.

* * *

Shane flipped on a table lamp and pulled Mitchie onto his lap. She snuggled against him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Mitchie?" Shane whispered. She yawned and glanced over at the alarm clock. It was close to 11:11 she noticed. He had thought about this a lot, he reminded himself.

"Yes Shane?" She asked, stifling another yawn. Fighting to keep her eyes open, she watched it click to 11:10. "Get ready to make a wish Shane." She mumbled, and he took a deep breath, fishing in his pocket for the ring he had had since he had met this girl.

"Mitchie, will you marry me?" It was 11:11.

Her eyes flew open and she turned to stare at him. Her jaw dropped slowly as he let the ring fall into her view. She bit her lip and stared into his eyes.

"Shane...I..."

**And now, it's break time. I'll see you guys in 3 weeks. (Yeah, I know I'm evil. Get used to it.) Hahaha. I love you guys.**

**EatSleepBreatheJonas**


	12. Chapter 12

_**This is Me**_

**I'm back! Yay!! So I've made my decision...yay. Here we go! (I said 3 weeks. That's like, 21 days. I took 22 to make a final decision. Please don't hate me.)  
**

"_Mitchie, will you marry me?" It was 11:11._

_Her eyes flew open and she turned to stare at him. Her jaw dropped slowly as he let the ring fall into her view. She bit her lip and stared into his eyes._

"_Shane...I..."_

"I don't know what to say." Mitchie breathed, her eyes darting quickly to the ring he offered and back to his eyes. He winced. "Shane...are you crazy?" She asked, folding his hand over the ring so she doesn't have to look at it any longer.

"No I'm not crazy." His tone is hurt, and she took a deep breath. "I don't understand. You accepted the promise ring this morning. Why can't you take this ring?" Shane's voice broke and he turned away from her.

"Because I'm 16. 16 year old girls don't get married. I'm young and I'm stupid. I took the ring this morning because I love you Shane. But I can't marry you. It's absurd." Mitchie explained, her voice shaking as well.

Shane didn't look at her. "Well, if you think our relationship is so absurd, then why did you say yes to being my girlfriend?" He asked bitterly, still not looking at her. Mitchie's eyes widened and her jaw dropped slowly.

"You're twisting my words. I didn't say our relationship was absurd, I said getting married was absurd!" She snapped, tears brimming up in her eyes. Shane didn't notice.

"Mitchie, if you don't want to be with me, then just say so." His voice was thick with emotion. As Mitchie cried, his heart wrenched.

"Shane! That's not what I mean. I want to be with you. I just don't want to get married!" She stated, reaching out for his hand, which he jerked away quickly.

"You had to know that's what I meant when I gave you the promise ring Mitchie." Shane's voice was cold and his body felt numb. He hadn't seen this part coming.

"I knew what you meant. But I didn't think you meant it seriously. I mean, I know you were serious, but I didn't know you serious enough to propose right now. I figured you meant what you said, but by the time it was reasonable for us to be married, you would have felt differently." Mitchie whispered, her heart breaking. Shane didn't look at her.

"My feelings for you will never change Mitchie. But if that's how you feel, then maybe we shouldn't be together." Shane muttered, and Mitchie closed her eyes.

"No." She murmured, horrified at what he was saying. "Please no! Shane, no, this isn't what I want, that's not how I feel!" He ignored her.

"Mitchie, if that's how you feel then I can accept it. Whatever. I don't even care anymore." Shane stated, and Mitchie bit back more tears as she stood.

"Okay." With that, she slid the silver band off her finger and laid it beside him, only to turn and walk out the door, shutting it softly. Once she heard the latch catch, she burst into tears. Walking unsteadily down the bus hallway, she knocked on Jason's door.

"Jason?" She called, opening the door carelessly. "Oh my God!" Mitchie shrieked. Jason and Peggy had been engaged in a rather fervent embrace, and only looked up at her shriek.

"Shit!" Peggy gasped, shoving Jason off of her. "Mitchie, you can't tell anyone, we don't want any of the shit you and Shane have." Mitchie burst into tears again, collapsing in their doorway.

"Of what we had. We just broke up." She moaned, burying her head in her hands. Peggy jumped off the bed, followed by Jason.

"What happened?" Jason asked, scooping her up and setting her down carefully on the bed. Peggy climbed up next to her, smoothing her hair out.

"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to." She soothed, glancing at Jason then at the door. "Go talk to him." She mouthed, and he nodded. Jason didn't understand much, but this much he understood. Shane had hurt Mitchie.

"He proposed to me. Like, he asked me to marry him. And I said I wasn't ready to marry him, getting married at 16 was absurd, and he twisted my words into all this fucked up shit and then the next thing I know, he says he doesn't care, and I gave him back the promise ring and walked out and oh fuck I want to die." Mitchie said in one breath, her eyes shut. Peggy blinked a few times.

"Wow. Mitchie, I think he's just upset that you aren't ready to marry him. He thought the promise ring was a proposal; and that what he just did was only confirming it. He didn't see it the way you did I'm guessing." Mitchie choked back a sob and opened her eyes.

"Peggy, am I an awful person?" She asked, looking at her friend. Peggy shook her head.

"You're not an awful person Mitchie. You just got scared and did what you thought was best. Now it's time to see what Shane's going to do."

* * *

"Shane." Jason opened the door and blinked a few times. Was Shane Grey actually crying? "Shane, dude, I don't know what you did, but you fucked up big time." Jason stated, closing the door behind him and sitting down on the foot of the bed. "Shane." Jason yelled, punching him roughly in the face.

"FUCK! That hurt man! And it's not my fault." Shane snapped, burying his face in a pillow. Jason rolled his eyes. It was never Shane's fault, or so he'd have you to believe. At least, the Old Shane would have had you believe that.

"So it's someone else's fault that Mitchie is laying on my bed crying?" Jason asked wisely. Shane rolled his eyes.

"She didn't have to break up with me." Shane muttered. Jason blinked a few times. "Okay, so maybe I broke up with her. But still. Not my fault." He blinked again. "Fine! I screwed up. Just stop giving me that look!" Jason smiled triumphantly.

"Well. Now we know it's your fault. But what are you going to do about it?" Jason asked, very curious. Shane shrugged.

"Be miserable and sulk?" Shane suggested, flipping off the light and rolling back over. Jason groaned and left the room, only after hitting him again.

"No. You're going to get her back. And when you do, you're not going to be an asshole."

* * *

Peggy looked up as Jason came back into the room. "He admits he was wrong. But he's still in the sulking stage." Jason whispered, noting that Mitchie is asleep, curled against a pillow.

Peggy rolled her eyes. "Great. Well, she cried herself to sleep. Did you hit him?" She asked, grinning. She didn't really expect him to have done so.

Jason nodded proudly. "I think I might have given him a black eye. Or broken his nose." Peggy gasped.

"Jason! I wasn't serious! He's gonna be pissed." She scolded, pulling him down onto the bed beside her.

Jason shook his head and kissed her cheek. "Nope. He was kinda angry at first, but I think he realized he deserved it. Which he did."

Peggy sighed and hugged Jason. "Jason, you can't just hit him. I'm glad you did; don't get me wrong. But you can't just hit him." He shrugged.

"I feel okay. I'm gonna go sleep on the couch. Don't let Mitchie do anymore crying." Jason stated, leaving the room. Mitchie blinked a few times.

"Peggy? Tell me that was a nightmare." She breathed, and Peggy shook her head sadly. "Damn."

* * *

Shane wove his way through the other people on the tour bus to maneuver himself next to the food at dinner that night. As he shifted, his hip collided with Mitchie. "Sorry." He muttered, not meeting her eyes. She bit her lip to hold back tears.

Peggy and Heather glared at him, and took her by the arm back to Nate's room. "Honey, he is not worth it." Heather coached, taking Mitchie's hand. The brunette scoffed and let her tears fall.

"But he is. I love him so much and he's being...stupid." Mitchie's voice shook as she spoke. Peggy sighed.

"You deserve so much better. But you love him, and until you can 'un-love' him, you're never going to see what could be out there for you." She stated, looking Mitchie in the eye firmly. Mitchie bit her lip and nodded.

"I'll try." She promised, making a half attempt at a smile. Heather and Peggy smiled back at her before letting her out of the room. "I'm gonna go lay down. I have some thinking to do." Mitchie murmured, walking, out of habit, back towards what used to be the room she shared with Shane. Opening the door, she threw herself onto the bed, sighing. She needed to stop loving him.

As the night wore on and Mitchie thought, out in the main room Shane Grey drank himself into a stupor. Nate, Heather, Peggy and Jason were in their respective rooms, unaware of what was about to happen. Shane groaned and stood up, walking a bit unsteadily towards his bedroom door. It opened by itself and, with a lurch of the bus, Mitchie came flying through the doorway and into him. "Oh! I'm so sorry!" She cried, then looked up to see who she had collided with.

"I—." The rest of her words died in her throat. Shane ducked down and captured her mouth with his, pressing her up against the wall. As he broke the embrace, he slid through the door, shutting it smoothly. Mitchie gasped and touched her lips gingerly, unsure of what had really just happened. "Damn." She cursed under her breath. This not loving him thing wasn't going very well.

* * *

For the first time in 3 months, Mitchie Torres was happy. She was at an after-concert party, laughing and having fun. She had met a guy in one of the cities that they had shot through. She didn't really remember which one; but he had shown up at every concert since. She didn't love him and she wasn't even sure she liked him as more than a friend. But he was willing and showered her with attention; which to be honest wasn't resented.

"Shit, what's his name?" She thought frantically. Oh. Right! "Jonah, can you come help me find something...in the bus?" He smiled at her, and nodded. Mitchie didn't have a plan at the moment, but she figured she might as well 'reward' Jonah for his constant friendship. Of course, he didn't know about her and Shane, but he was one of her new friends she had made on the road. And he liked her, so what could be wrong about this?

Shane picked up his head. The bus door was opening and he could see Mitchie climbing the steps, followed by a definitely male head. "Whatever." He muttered, burying his face into the couch. Mitchie tiptoed past Shane and back into her old room. Jonah grinned. He was finally getting what he wanted. Shutting the door behind him, he followed her over to the bed.

"What's up Mitchie?" He asked coolly, looking into her eyes. She shrugged and pulled her legs up to her chest.

"I just wanted to talk I guess. Away from the pounding music and booze." She laughed and leaned back on one of the many pillows. Jonah nodded, still watching her. Taking a quiet breath, he leaned forward, pressing his lips onto hers. Mitchie's eyes widened and she struggled to break away from the kiss. "Jonah, stop it!" She shrieked, shoving him off of her. He laughed coldly, running a hand down her cheek.

"Like this isn't what you asked me up here for?" He scoffed, his hands resting at her hips, pressing her down. She struggled against him, her eyes flashing.

"Jonah, get off me. Now." She snapped, hitting his arm. He laughed and kissed her again intrusively. "Stop it!" She cried. This had been a really bad idea, she thought. "Jonah, please, stop!" Mitchie shrieked as he fumbled with her jeans. Taking a deep breath, she did the only thing she could think of. "SHANE!" She screamed piercingly, kicking Jonah sharply between the legs. The door opened quickly, and before Mitchie could blink, Jonah was on the ground.

"Don't. You. Ever. Fucking. Touch. Her." Shane hissed, accentuating his words by shoving Jonah into the ground harder. Mitchie scrambled off the bed and ran back to the party. Grabbing the first security guard she could find, she dragged him back to the bus, trying to explain through her tears. As they arrived at the bus, she stood awkwardly by Shane.

"Thank you." She whispered, not meeting his eyes. Shane winced. She couldn't even look at him. He hadn't realized how much he had hurt her until this moment. He shrugged.

"You would have done the same for me." He muttered, not thinking about what he was saying. Mitchie giggled softly, blushing.

"You mean tackle a potential male rapist?" She asked, her face still flushed. Shane laughed and shook his head.

"I don't know. Just...don't be so stupid next time, okay?" He hugged her awkwardly before going back down to the couch. Mitchie groaned. She had just ruined everything.

Hours later, she fell into bed, asleep before her head hit the pillow. The lights were still on, her book still sitting next to her lamp, waiting patiently to be read. Shane quietly opened the door, pushing it open just enough to slide through. She was sound asleep; she always was. She was a heavy sleeper. He thanked God for that. Pulling up a chair to the foot of the bed, he sat down.

"Mitchie. So since I'm too scared to talk to you in person, I'm going to talk to you now. I wanted to just kinda...talk about today. I don't know what you were thinking; letting that guy in here. Anyone could see he was obsessed with you. I hated that guy Mitchie. I really did. And when I heard you scream my name, that was the scariest sound in the world to me. I was so angry at him; I could have killed him." Shane took a deep breath, clenching his fists.

"But the real reason I came in here, I guess, is that when I saw that guy on top of you; I realized I want to be with you. I don't care anymore if you don't want to marry me. I want to be able to hold you and kiss you and love you. I want to be yours Mitchie. I don't want to have to worry about you getting involved with other guys like tonight. I want to always be there to protect and love you. Mitchie...I love you so so much." Shane stated, before rising and flipping the chair back to where it should be. He paused, glancing at the bed.

She is a heavy sleeper; Shane thought, and made his decision. He'd set an alarm for 30 minutes before she woke up and sneak out of her room. Smiling, he crawled into bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her and drawing her close. Shane loved how she fit into his arms. Closing his eyes, he didn't notice Mitchie's eyes were wide open and her face; an expression of shock.

* * *

Shane groaned, silencing his alarm. Mitchie was asleep and he crawled out of bed, sliding through the door and back onto his couch. 30 minutes later, Mitchie walked past him and turned on the stove. "Good morning Shane." She said coolly, and he blinked.

"Good morning." He replied, smiling. "Mitchie?" he asked tentatively. She turned to glance at him. "Are you okay? After last night?" He asked, and she bit her lip, sitting down across from him. Shaking her head, tears spilled over slowly. "Oh shit. I'm sorry." Standing, he moved to kneel in front of her. "I'm sorry." Shane breathed, holding his breath as he made his next move. Gently, he wiped away her tears with his thumb. Mitchie stiffened under his touch. Slowly, she relaxed. Shane smiled up at her awkwardly.

"It's been a while." She muttered, not meeting his gaze. Shane cocked an eyebrow, peering at her face intently.

"What do you mean?" He had a feeling this was going to be one of those heart to heart talks that he always said too much in.

"It's been a while since you've touched me." Mitchie whispered, still not looking him in the eye. Shane grinned; he couldn't exactly help it. "Oh shut up. I didn't mean it like that." She snapped, trying not to laugh. Shane rolled his eyes.

"The damage has been done Mitchie." He muttered, still grinning. "You didn't happen to be awake last night, did you?" He asked suddenly. She shifted nervously.

"Uh, yeah about that. I...uhm...well yeah." She admitted, finally looking him in the eye, only to see him cringe.

"How much did you hear?" He questioned, for the first time feeling nervous. She blushed, glancing down.

"Everything. And...was it just my imagination or did you get in bed with me?" Mitchie asked, playing with her fingers nervously. Shane paused before cupping her chin to bring her eyes up to meet his.

"Uh. Yeah. Sorry about that. You just looked so fragile; I wanted to be close to you. I know you tend to get nightmares. I wanted to be the first one you could run to for protection I guess." Shane admitted. Mitchie's breath caught in her throat.

"Shane?" Her eyes were shimmering and she could feel her heart rate become unusually fast. He smiled at her.

"Yes?" Shane thought he knew what she was about to ask, but he didn't want to assume anything. Mitchie shifted closer to him.

"Can we start again? Like, not all the way to the beginning, but...to how we were after the funeral?" Mitchie's voice was small and she looked worried. Shane kissed the top of her head, smirking.

"You mean you want to go practically have sex?" He asked, and she shook her head, smiling slightly. "Oh. You mean to how close we were. How...happy isn't the right word. Maybe blissful? How blissful we were." Shane understood. She nodded, hugging him tightly.

"Yes please." At her words, Shane scooped her up and walked towards the back of the bus. Mitchie snuggled against him, arms wrapped around his neck.

"We've got three months of talking to do." Shane declared as he deposited her on their bed. Mitchie nodded and crawled up to him. "Mitchie Torres, I love you." He stated, kissing her softly on the lips. "Tell me what you've been thinking for the past three months I've been out of your life."

**Thoughts? I'm going to go hide from all of you guys that wanted her to say yes. See you later! I have band camp next week, but until then, updates should be fairly...constant(ish).**

**Much Love,**

**EatSleepBreatheJonas**

**Oh. For those of you who expressed sympathy, I went on a long road trip like thing. I stopped at both Kyle and Greg's place of death. Not the boat obviously, but the harbor they were out of. I'm still very much grieving. But at the same time I'm at peace with myself. **


	13. Chapter 13

_**This Is Me**_

**So I actually got a positive response for the last chapter, surprisingly enough. After all the playfully threatening reviews that Mitchie had better say yes, I was almost scared to post that. But whatever. Okay. Chapter 13. Mitchie's outfit links are in my profile, given I remember. If they're not, remind me? Thanks. **

Shane took a deep breath, inhaling Mitchie's perfume. He knew he shouldn't be doing this so soon; but he had a lot that he had to say. "Mitchie?" He mumbled, entwining his fingers with hers. She glanced up at him sleepily.

"Yes Shane?" She whispered, shifting so her stomach was pressed against his side; her arms around his waist. "Oh. I meant to ask...uhm...Shane? Are we, like...together again?" Mitchie asked, looking up at him anxiously.

Shane let out a breath. "That was actually what I was going to talk to you about." He admitted, smiling gently. "I'd like to be back with you. But I want you to do what you want." Mitchie yawned, blinking and snuggling against him.

"I want to be with you." Mitchie stated, resting her head on his shoulder. He sighed happily, turning so he faced her. She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling.

"Let's do something." Shane declared, sitting up and wrinkling his nose in thought. Mitchie sat up and stared at him.

"Shane, what are you talking about?" She asked, giggling as his eyes lit up. Shane clambered off the bed and grabbed his jacket. "What are you doing?" Mitchie asked, still laughing.

"Get dressed to go outside. We're going bowling."

* * *

"Shane, are you freaking kidding me? It's like, 30 degrees out there!" Mitchie protested, standing on the stairs of the bus. Shane was ankle deep in snow standing below her, waiting for her to exit.

"I know it. But the sooner you get out here, the sooner we can get to civilization." Shane reasoned, laughing. He had checked the map in the bus and knew they were somewhere in Canada. Somewhere cold.

Fortunately, they were only a half mile from a average sized town. Shane decided any average sized town must have a bowling alley, and therefore, he waited for his girlfriend in the snow.

"But...oh fine. But you have to warm me up if I get cold." Mitchie said flirtatiously, stepping into the snow with a shudder. Her boots went up to her knees under her jeans, with a sweater dress and a knee length trench coat layered over, but she was still slightly chilled.

Shane grabbed her hand and glanced over her appreciatively. "I like the white jeans." He commented. "In fact, they look like a pair of mine." He said teasingly, pulling her back to him for a quick kiss. Mitchie giggled.

"Should I be worried that you wear girl's pants?" She in a mocking serious voice, looking into his eyes. He shrugged.

"We could look at it another way. Technically, you got in my pants. That's pretty hot." Shane teased in return, swinging their hands as they continued walking. Mitchie rolled her eyes.

"Only in your dreams Mr. Grey." She mumbled, grinning ahead. Shane paused, tilting his head to the side. Deciding to say nothing, he pulled her close to him for another embrace. Mitchie wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him closer.

"Our lips are going to freeze together." She mumbled through the kiss, and Shane pulled away, looking at her seriously.

"Would that really be such a bad thing?" He asked, laughing at the look on her face.

"Shane, it would be very bad. We couldn't breathe if our lips were frozen together." Mitchie reminded him, giggling now. Shane shrugged, staring into her eyes.

"To be honest, you're slightly more important than oxygen to me." He murmured seriously. Mitchie's eyes widened, and she felt her smile grow.

"Shane Grey, it must be 30 degrees out here, but you still manage to make me melt." She breathed, skipping now. He laughed and quickly tried to match her pace. "Come on slow poke!" She giggled, dropping his hand to run ahead. Shane laughed and chased after her. Mitchie turned as he approached, and thinking quickly, dropped down to a seated position on the snow.

Shane skidded to a halt and, with his typical grace, tripped and landed on top of Mitchie, pressing her into the snow. "Oops." He whispered, and she smiled, running her hands through his hair.

Lazily, she pulled his head down to meet her lips in a long kiss. Shane ran one hand under her jacket and along her hips, drawing her closer to him. "You've got snow in your hair." He mumbled, drinking in her appearance. She shrugged and pressed several chaste kisses from his earlobe to his jaw. "You're beautiful." Shane added, and she paused to beam up at him.

* * *

Shane held the door open for her, and she stepped inside, giggling. "I can't believe we actually found this place." She stated, glancing at the neon flashing sign. "All Night Bowling. Huh. Who would've guessed?" She laughed, turning to grab Shane's hand.

Shane glared playfully at her. "I knew it was here. I just...uh...didn't know exactly where." He admitted, laughing softly. The woman looked up from the counter at them, and then at the clock behind her on the wall.

"Go ahead. At this hour, it's on the house." She mumbled, taking a long drag from a crumbling cigarette. She flipped a button and the first lane at the opposite end of the alley came to life.

* * *

Shane turned away from the lane, his eyes shut. Mitchie laughed; he had been doing that all night. "It looks like another strike!" She called, and he hopped in the air, pumping his fist.

"Are you ready to admit that I am the Awesome Master Grand Champion of All Night Bowling at Pins R Us of Toronto?" He asked, grinning, and Mitchie's eyes widened in mock horror.

"Just because you've won 7 out of 7 games, and are currently in the lead with 137 to 64 does not mean you're the...whatever you just said." Mitchie retorted, trying not to laugh. Shane rolled his eyes and sat down next to her.

"Your turn." He prodded, and she rose, giving him a saucy look over her shoulder. "Be the ball." He advised, laughing. She turned in horror.

"That is some of the worst advice I have ever heard." She giggled, and turned back to the lane. Taking a small breath, she raised her arm back and brought the ball forward quickly. Mitchie squealed; it was her first strike. She turned, a smile lighting up her face. Overjoyed, she ran and threw herself at Shane, still squealing.

"Your advice worked for once!" She exclaimed, kissing him swiftly. Shane laughed and pressed her to him tightly, exploring her mouth eagerly. "By the way. You're the Awesome Master Grand Champion of...All Night Bowling at Pins R Us of...where are we? Oh yeah. Of Toronto." Mitchie added, breathing heavily as she pulled away. Shane smirked, running his hands down her back and holding her body against him.

"I know."

* * *

Shane opened the bedroom door and swept Mitchie off her feet. "Home sweet home." He mumbled, before setting her down on the bed and falling next to her. "Did you have fun?" Shane asked, turning to face her.

Eyes sparkling, Mitchie nodded, pulling herself close to him before flipping over so she was nestled against him. "I had an amazing time. Now the perfect finish to a perfect night? Hold me while we sleep." She breathed, and Shane grinned.

"I can do that." He murmured, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her against him. Closing his eyes, he took one last breath of Mitchie's perfume.

* * *

Jason tapped on the door. "Shane? Have you seen...oh." He had come in to ask if Shane had seen Mitchie; since she wasn't on the couch. She was laying right there, tangled with Shane. "I guess you guys made up...or out." Jason chuckled to himself, closing the door again.

"Where is she?" Peggy asked, looking slightly worried. Jason pointed over his shoulder towards Shane's door.

"She's in there, and Shane's holding her pretty tight. My guess is they are okay again." He told Peggy, and she rolled her eyes.

"Like we didn't see that one coming. I just hope he doesn't screw up again."

* * *

Shane picked up his head, blinking in the harsh light coming through his window. Mitchie sat up, yawning and stretching. "Good morning." She mumbled, looking down at her boyfriend. Shane groaned and buried his face in his pillow.

"I don't wanna get up." He moaned, pulling the blanket over his head. Mitchie nodded, sliding back under with him, trying to figure out how to say what she was thinking.

"Shane. About the marriage thing..." Mitchie began, and Shane winced. "I just want to know...why I guess." She added.

"That's simple actually. I love you. Marriage should be fun. It should be filled with friendship, laughter, trust, and fun. And I have all of that with you. I think we work because we're best friends. We do have our problems, but at the end of the day...or three months; we're together. Marriage is an adventure, and it should be a happy adventure. You make me smile in ways I didn't know possible. You're the person that makes me laugh the most. And I love you."

**Short chapter; 4 pages. I wanted Shane's words to have some impact though. Thoughts? Will Mitchie reconsider marriage now that Shane's had his reasonable moment? Or will she stand firm on the issue? Who knows! Review please. **


	14. Chapter 14

_**This is Me**_

**You guys never cease to amaze me. I love reading all your reviews; every single one of them make me smile so huge, I think my face is gonna split! **

**(Oh. A note though. Throughout this chapter, I refer to an "up-down." This is what my friends and I use to refer a guy checking one of us out. Just so you know.) **

**OH! Another thing. This chapter is kinda Shane-centered. Past chapters have focused on mostly Smitchie and everyone else, but this is mostly Shane, with a dash of Mitchie and a pinch of everyone else. **

_Shane kissed her lightly, dragging his hands over her hips and up her body. She whimpered, clutching his face closer to hers. "If you stop now I will hurt you." She breathed, a smile tugging at her lips. He didn't respond but set her down on the dresser, standing between her legs._

"_Who said anything about stopping?" His voice sounded different to her in that moment, more serious than she had ever heard him. Kissing him again, more fervently this time, she shuddered as his cold hands slid under her cami and across her stomach. _

_Shifting against him, Mitchie tugged impatiently at his shirt, finally succeeding and throwing it behind her. Shane dropped his head to press countless open-mouthed kisses against her neck. She felt her heart rate increase as he ran his tongue over her collarbone, whispering against her flesh. Letting out breathy moans, Mitchie closed her eyes and clutched at his back, positive she was leaving crescent shaped marks. _

"_God I love you." Shane sighed, pushing up the sides of her cami and pulling it over her head. Mitchie looked up at him, her eyes darker than he had ever seen before. "Is this okay?" He asked, tracing her features. She nodded, reaching up to tangle her hands in his hair and bringing him closer to her. Trying to steady her breathing, Mitchie closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. Her eyes widened as she felt his mouth behind her ear, sucking gently. _

"_Oh my God." She moaned, feeling his mouth trail back down over her neck and shoulder, dusting over her collarbone and, going more slowly, he traced over her breasts, while his hands gripped her waist keeping her where he wanted her. Carefully, he slid her denim shorts down, letting them drop on the ground._

_Scooping her up bridal style, Shane set her down on the bed before joining her. Still holding her hips, he ran his tongue from the valley between her breasts down to her navel, flicking the small piercing there lightly. She screamed softly,wrapping her legs around his waist. Sliding back up her figure, he connected their mouths, tongues tangling together for a moment before he slid her boy shorts off._

"_Oh my God, Shane...Shane...Sh—_"

"—ane! Shane!" Mitchie hovered over him, a bit concerned. Holding herself above him by her arms, she peered anxiously at his closed eyes. He was still breathing she noted, but that didn't mean he wasn't unconscious or something. His eyes fluttered open, and she breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God." She breathed, kissing him quickly.

Shane stared up at her. "Why are you dressed?" He asked, very confused. Mitchie tilted her head to the side, equally confused now. "You were just in your bra—oh." He trailed off, putting two and two together.

"I don't want to know." She decided, giving an awkward laugh Shane felt his face flush, and Mitchie kissed him again, more lightly this time.

"Sorry about that. I just..." He fell quiet, knowing she already knew. Mitchie sighed, laying down again, resting her head on his chest. As a reflex, his arms tightened around her waist, drawing her closer. "Mitchie..." He whispered, and she glanced up at him, her eyes questioning. "I'm sorry." He stated, and she nodded.

"I know you are. It's just weird for me, to have a guy think about me...er...that way I guess." She murmured, snuggling closer to him. Shane stared down at her, trying to find words to express his complete and utter shock.

"But you're...Mitchie, you're gorgeous. I'm not going to tell you how many guys I've seen give you an up-down. I wanted to kill them, but that's beside the point. You have no idea how beautiful you are." Shane stated. She blushed, clutching his shirt in between her fingers.

"Well, I don't lay in a bed with all of those guys, do I? No, for the record, I don't. But my point is, you're the only guy I come in regular contact with who apparently thinks about me that way. And I don't know, it's just kinda weird. Because...Argh. I don't know what I'm saying." She moaned in frustration and stood up, facing away from him. Shane sighed, rising and standing behind her.

"No. I understand. And I feel awful. Because I'm your boyfriend, and I love and cherish you. which I'm supposed to do, by the way. But at the same time, another part of me wants to throw you down on our bed and make love to you. And I can't, because that goes against the boyfriend part of me. And it's crazy conflicting, and sometimes...I just lose control for a moment, and you end up getting hurt and that kills me." Shane finished, hugging her loosely from behind. Mitchie sighed softly and leaned back against his chest.

"I love you." She whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. He smiled down at her, linking their hands together.

"Even as crazy as I am?" He asked teasingly, and she nodded without hesitation. Shane laughed and sat back down on the bed. "I really am sorry. I'm trying to control myself, but...it's hard, especially when other guys look at you. It's like, I'm so mad at them for even thinking about you like that, but then I feel like a hypocrite. But sometimes, there's this little voice in the back of my head, and it tells me that of any of these guys, I'm the one you would actually do something with. Then I start thinking, and it all goes downhill from there...and I'm so sorry Mitchie."

She smiled and sat down next to him; taking his hand in her smaller one. "It's okay Shane. If it makes you feel better," her eyes twinkled and she tried to not giggle, "I used to...uhm...I guess the word is fantasize, about you a lot. And very little of it, well no, none of it was appropriate enough for my parents to hear." She bit her lip, laughing now. "You can stop apologizing. Let's go eat breakfast."

Shane followed her out the door, turning the lights off and closing the door softly. Mitchie walked ahead, humming to herself, a hand tapping out a steady beat against her hip. He leaned against the wall of the bus, watching her walk. "God I love that girl." He muttered, following her with a smile.

* * *

Mitchie threw herself down onto the couch beside Shane, picking idly at his plate of food. Yawning, she waited until he glanced up at the TV and quickly grabbed a piece of bacon. He turned back and reached for the piece she had just swiped. Confused, he looked down. "Mitchie, am I crazy? I could have sworn I got two pieces of bacon. I ate one...where's the other?"

She choked on her laughter, swallowing the last bit. "Sorry. It looked really good." She giggled, holding her hands up as a form of surrender. Nate and Jason came into the room, dropping onto the couch, watching the newly reunited couple.

"So? You look really good today, but I don't eat you!" Shane pointed out, and Nate choked. "Oh. That sounded perverted, didn't it?" He asked, and Jason nodded while thumping Nate on the back.

Mitchie buried her face in a pillow, screaming with laughter. "Oh my goodness Shane. You don't think before you speak, do you?" She asked, and he shook his head immediately. "Oh my goodness." She repeated, giggling. Nate, saved by Jason, glared up at Shane.

"Please please please, a thousand times please don't talk like that anymore. You're going to kill me." Nate stated, taking a sip of water, trying to tune Shane out.

"Guys, I'm sorry." Shane stated, laughing, setting his plate down on the ground and stretching out on the couch. Mitchie shifted so she was between his body and the couch cushions, wrapping her arms around his waist. Feeling a bit evil, she slid one of her legs between his, pressing herself against him. "Mitchie..." Shane scolded in a constricted voice, staring at the TV.

"Sorry. I had one of my evil moments. Just testing you." She whispered, not moving her leg. Shane glanced down at her glowing face and groaned.

"I think I'm doing okay." He muttered, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. Mitchie shrugged and moved herself higher so she could reach his ear better.

"Are you sure?" She breathed in his ear, playing with his hair. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "You're still doing pretty well, don't worry." Mitchie added, moving her hands down his back. "Just don't get distracted." She advised, kissing his jaw and shifting so she wasn't pressed against him anymore.

"You're evil Mitchie." Shane muttered, smiling slightly. "But I love you, so it balances out."

Nate glanced up from his food over at the couple. "You guys are being quiet again! I don't like it." He stated, and Mitchie laughed, rolling her eyes up at Shane.

* * *

Mitchie was asleep and Shane was pacing. He had to get control of himself. He had always thought Mitchie was gorgeous. Even when he had first stepped into that canoe with her, he had let himself get carried away with his thoughts; just a tiny bit. But then they started dating; and those thoughts had started getting more frequent, especially after the funeral in his hotel room. This morning had been bad; she had caught him.

He had to get control; and he had to get it now. He had always been taught to treat women with respect and to appreciate them. Taught to not just see them as bodies. Shane did respect Mitchie; he loved her. But she was the one girl whose body he couldn't ignore. She was perfect in his eyes, and he felt like he would do anything to be with her that way.

"This is fucking stupid." He cursed, beating his head against the wall. Glancing over at their bed, he could see Mitchie's figure clearly through the sheets. "No. Stop it Shane. Stop." He ordered, turning away. "Just calm down and walk away. Just go...go take a shower. Get your mind off her." He stated quietly, almost running to the door.

Shane tilted his head back under the hot water. Water. Pool? Mitchie...he could feel himself slipping into his thoughts. "Fuck." He muttered, but he was already—

_Gone." Mitchie glanced up at him from her towel inquisitively. She sat up and pulled off her sunglasses._

"_What did you say?" She asked, smiling at Shane as the sun shone around him. _

"_Everyone else is already gone." He repeated, dropping down into the empty pool and looking at her expectantly. "I'm lonely. Please get in." He groaned, and Mitchie giggled, setting down her book and rising._

"_Fine, but you owe me Grey." She said knowingly, sliding in beside him. As soon as her feet touched the bottom, Shane wrapped her in his arms, kissing her fervently. _

"_Thank you for getting in with me." He mumbled, and Mitchie nodded slightly, running her hands over his shoulders, pulling him closer._

"_I'm losing tanning time; you'd better make this worth my while." She teased breathlessly as his hands crept down her sides, resting at the hem of her bikini bottoms. _

"_When do I not?" He asked rhetorically, pressing her against the pool wall, probing his tongue around her mouth slowly. Mitchie sighed blissfully, latching one leg around his waist. "I'm kinda glad the others left." Shane murmured, bringing his hands back up to play with the strings on her top. _

"_Shane..." Mitchie breathed, trying to sound in control but failing miserably. He gave her a look, before sliding his fingers under her top. "Shane Grey, if you think for one second that we're going to do this here you are sadly—oh my God." She gasped, as he placed his lips at the base of her neck, nibbling gently. _

"_You're so weak." Shane murmured against her skin, tracing the outline of her bikini top with his lips. Mitchie closed her eyes and ran her fingers through Shane's hair, pressing him closer to her. "But I love you, so..." He teased, pulling one of the strings at her back._

"_Don't you dare..." She moaned, trying her hardest to sound stern. Slowly, he tugged the other one, and she pulled away. "I'll get out right now if you even think about it." She whispered, bringing her lips temptingly close to his. _

"_Please don't leave me." He dropped the strings and swam the other way, towards the waterfall. As he passed through, he disappeared from view. "Join me?" He called and she sighed. He knew she couldn't stay away for long. _

"_You're just bringing me back here to make out." She stated, swimming over. He laughed and shrugged._

"_You make that sound like a bad thing." She laughed, ducking under the waterfall and almost instantly being pressed up against the wall. "You're really hot." Shane whispered, kissing her longingly. _

"_You're not so bad either Mr. Grey." Mitchie murmured, pulling apart so their lips barely touched. Inwardly, he groaned. She was always teasing him, he thought. Giggling, she ran her fingers down his chest, pouting. Shane, can we go home? We've been in here—_

"—for an hour! Dude, get out of there!" Nate yelled, pounding on the bathroom door. Shane shook his head, blinking.

"Fuck." He muttered, snapping the water off and grabbing a towel. "Sorry! I lost track of time!" He yelled at the door. Outside, Nate rolled his eyes.

"Uh huh, more like got distracted by a mental image of Mitchie." Nate called, laughing now, even though he was serious. Shane groaned and stepped out of the shower, wrapped the towel around his waist and opened the door, letting all the steam out.

"Shut up Nate." He laughed, stepping past his friend and into his room. Mitchie turned around as he opened the door.

"Oh my God, I thought you'd never come back." She giggled, walking over to him and laughing. Shane rolled his eyes and hugged her. "Shane! You're getting me all wet!" Mitchie shrieked, wriggling out of his grip.

"I like the sound of that." He whispered, smirking at her. Her eyes widened and she hit him on the arm. He rubbed it, wincing. She could hit powerfully when she wanted to. "Sorry. Couldn't resist." Shane grinned. "I am sorry though."

"I know you are. Love you." Mitchie murmured, kissing him lightly before sliding past him to leave the room. He turned, following her with his eyes.

"Where are you going?" He called, and she turned, a smile playing on her lips. She pointed to the main room with a smirk.

"One, to let you get dressed. Two, to hang with guys who aren't perverted around me." She giggled, dancing her way down the bus' hallway.

**Thoughts? Those of you who asked for it got your smut. Those of you who didn't want smut; well it technically didn't really happen. So is everyone happy? Please tell me what you thought. I had a hard time writing the smutty scenes; I thought seriously about taking a sex scene from one of my other stories and changing the names. Unfortunately, all the sex scenes were from my early writing and I hated them. So both of those are original. Yay! Ish...thoughts? **


	15. Chapter 15

_**This Is Me**_

**You guys make me really happy. Just sayin. Hahaha. Yay for Chapter 15! By the way; we're only at 333 reviews right now, but the 400th reviewer will get something. I think I'm going to go in even increments. 67 reviews to go. Good luck. **

Shane stepped through the door carefully. She was asleep again. Walking cautiously, he changed and laid down next to her, wrapping her in his arms. "Shane?" She mumbled, blinking a few times, her voice thick with sleep.

"Hey. Sorry for waking you up." He apologized, sliding under the sheets to be up against her. She yawned and curled herself against him.

"It's okay." She whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. "I love you." She added, her eyes falling shut again. He stared down at her, not believing how lucky he was to have a girl like her.

"I love you too." He murmured, keeping one hand on her waist, the other sliding down her back and pressing her body into his. "I have something for you, but it can wait until the morning if you want." He whispered in her ear. Her eyes fluttered open, a small smile etched across her face.

"I love presents." She breathed, a tired giggle slipping through her lips. "And I should wait til morning. But I kinda really want it now." Shane smiled and reached behind him to his bedside table, grabbing something.

"It technically already belongs to you, but it just got lost for a while." He whispered, taking her hand and sliding his promise ring back onto her finger. Mitchie smiled up at him.

"I've missed wearing your ring." She confessed, watching it sparkle in the dim light. "And I love you so much...but I'm about to fall asleep right now." He chuckled under his breath and wrapped her in his arms again.

"Love you. Now sleep." He ordered playfully, letting his head hit the pillow. Mitchie pressed herself closer, curling her arms around his back, letting her head rest in the crook of his neck.

* * *

Heather flung the door open, letting in the bright sunshine. "Good morning Mr. and Mrs. Grey!" She yelled, giggling. Peggy stood behind her laughing just as happily. Shane picked up his head.

"What the hell?" He groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Why are you guys in here? And...what did you just call us?" It finally hit him. Heather and Peggy laughed again.

"Don't worry about it. Get dressed. We're going to a mall!" Peggy squealed, dashing back down the hall to the room she shared with Jason.

Mitchie muttered something and pulled Shane back down. "I don't wanna go to the fucking mall, I want to lay in bed with my boyfriend." She groaned, burying her face in his chest, arms at his waist. Shane laughed and rubbed her back.

"I don't think that's an option babe." With that, he straddled her, pressing their mouths together tenderly. Heather cleared her throat.

"Would you guys just fuck already?" She asked, blushing immediately after the words left her mouth. "Sorry...uhm...I'll be going." She blurted, turning and rushing down to the main room. Mitchie giggled, latching her hands around his neck.

"If it weren't for the ring on my finger right now, I think I would 'just fuck you already' as she put it." She mumbled, letting her eyes shut again. Shane groaned. It was moments like these, when Mitchie talked about actually sleeping with him, when his self-control got seriously lacking.

Panicking, he got off of her and stepped over to the dresser, rummaging for something to wear. Mitchie sat up in bed, clutching the sheets around her. "You got up quickly." She commented, cocking an eyebrow. "Did I do something wrong?" She asked, looking genuinely concerned. Shane shook his head.

"Nah. I'm just trying to control myself, and with you laying under me, saying you would sleep with me, well that's not good for my self control exactly." He explained, turning to smile wanly at her. Mitchie's eyes widened in realization.

Climbing out of the bed to stand behind him, she hugged him tightly, resting her chin on his shoulder. "I'm sorry." She whispered, her breath tickling his neck. He chuckled and continued to look for a shirt. "I really am. I totally forgot what I was doing." Mitchie said with a frown. He laughed again and turned to face her.

"It's okay, really. I'm 18 years old; not some horny 13 year old boy. And we've been on the road for 5 months now. I've almost mastered controlling myself around you." He soothed, holding her by the hips. She frowned again, though her eyes were twinkling like she had a plan.

"Well if you're so sure you've almost mastered your self control...I have a challenge." She giggled, and watched as Shane's eyes narrowed. "My challenge for you is that you can't go all day, starting now until we get back tonight, without kissing or touching me."

His jaw dropped. "Are you trying to kill me?" He gasped, staring at her. She rolled her eyes and giggled.

"As I remember, you said you had almost mastered your self-control. This should be no problem. Just confirming that you really have mastered it. A test, if you will." She suggested, grinning wickedly. Shane thought about it.

"Okay. You're on. Starting now, until we get back tonight. No kissing or touching or anything." He confirmed. She nodded, holding out her hand for him to shake. Once that was done, she stood on tip-toe to whisper in his ear.

"I forgot to mention. I can tempt you as much as I want." She breathed, pulling away. Shane's eyes widened and he stared at her. She brought her mouth dangerously close to his, running one finger down his chest. "Good luck Superstar." With that, she turned and was gone. Shane groaned. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Mitchie turned to glance over her shoulder at Shane. "You're doing really well." She encouraged, grinning at him. He smirked at her. This was nothing. Sure, he would have liked to kiss her, but his self control had dealt with more than this. She hadn't even tried to make him trip up yet.

"I'm going to win." He stated, smiling broadly. She shrugged, skipping ahead with Heather and Peggy.

"We'll see." She called, laughing happily. Shane watched her run ahead to catch up with her friends. Nate and Jason walked beside him, talking about something; Shane didn't really care. He was too busy watching her.

Jason glanced up at the sky. "Guys, it's starting to rain." He announced, and Shane looked heavenwards too.

"Well, then we better get to the car fast." Nate stated, and all three of them dashed after the girls, who were already running happily through the drizzle.

Heather held the door open for the guys who piled in quickly. Nate fell in on top of her, and she giggled down at him. "Hey you." She whispered, and he grinned.

"Hey yourself." He returned, sitting up. Jason had slid over to Peggy, where they were talking about something. Mitchie curled and uncurled one finger in Shane's direction, beckoning him to her.

Shane felt his whole body tense. It was like she took every ounce of sex appeal in her body, turned it into one giant wave and was pummeling him with it. The limo lurched forward and Shane caught himself, sitting down carefully beside her. "I really want to kiss you." He muttered and she laughed quietly.

"You'll lose." She breathed, twisting so she faced him fully. He shut his eyes and laid his head back.

"I know." With that, Mitchie straddled him, lacing her fingers together behind his neck. He opened one eye to glance at her, then the other. "What are you doing?" He asked, and she shrugged.

"This is only the beginning of your temptation. I'm really going to push you today." She promised, resting her forehead against his. "I love you." She whispered.

"I love you too. Even if I can't touch you right now." He added as an afterthought, looking thoroughly put out. She giggled and brought their lips close together, not touching.

"Just wait until tonight. That is, unless you lose." She breathed, turning to sit on his lap. Heather and Peggy smirked at her; they both knew what was happening. Both of them figured Shane would have snapped by now, but he was proving to be stronger than any of them expected. Including himself.

* * *

"How about this one?" Mitchie asked, opening the dressing room door for Shane to step in. Turning from side to side, she inspected herself. The dress in question was a burnt tangerine color and it looked amazing against her skin. It was fitted all the way down, and had a square neck line. Shane took a deep breath and stepped inside the room.

"Holy fuck." He stated, not even aware that he had opened his mouth. She looked amazing. Mitchie turned to glance at him. "That's the one." She had been trying on different dresses for about an hour, and finally, they had found the perfect one. "It looks great on you." He said sincerely. She smirked.

"It would look great on the floor of our room too." She whispered, walking towards him slowly. Shane gulped. She had warned him of course, but he hadn't taken her seriously.

"Mitchie, you're making this challenge really hard for me right now." He declared, trying to focus on her eyes and not the daring amount of cleavage the dress allowed to be revealed.

"I know. Now, I'm going to change. You can either stay in here, or wait outside." She offered, smiling innocently at him. Shane took another deep breath and stepped out of the room. She was amazing, he thought. Cute and innocent one moment, and sultry and provocative the next. He loved her; but she knew exactly how to drive him crazy.

She stepped out moments later, smiling at him. "Sorry about that. It was too easy to pass up." She explained, lacing their fingers together. He glanced down at their hands. "Hand holding is not a problem." She stated as though reading his mind. Walking slowly, they made their way to the cashier. Mitchie laid the dress down and pulled out her wallet. Shane rolled his eyes.

"Holy crap, a man-eating dinosaur!" He yelled, and as Mitchie turned her head in disbelief, he slid his credit card across the counter to the guy. Mitchie turned back and her face fell.

"You tricked me." She pouted, and he shrugged, playing with her fingers as the man wrapped up the dress.

"I like buying you stuff." Shane whispered, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb lovingly. She smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling happily.

"I can see there's no point in arguing with you. So thank you." She giggled, kissing his cheek lightly. "Oh, and that didn't count as you losing." She added, and he laughed, taking the bag from the man. "Have a great day!" She called over her shoulder, and the guy raised one hand in thanks, smiling at the couple.

Mitchie tangled their hands together, swinging them enthusiastically. "Where to now?" She asked, gazing up at him. He shrugged, glancing around.

"Normally, I'd suggest Victoria's Secret, but if I want to win this challenge..." Shane trailed off, giving her a suggestive wink. She groaned and hit him on the arm.

"No. Wait...yes. Let's go." She had changed her mind from innocent girlfriend to trying to win this challenge. Shane's eyes widened and he dragged his feet, desperate to not go in there. He knew he'd lose if she took him back to the dressing room again.

"Mitchie, I know you're testing me. And I know my limits, really. This is gonna be bad." He warned her, giving in and letting her take him over the threshold. She turned to him with a easy smile.

"I'm not that evil Shane." She murmured, giggling a little. With those words, she dropped his hand and started rifling through one of the racks. Grabbing anything brightly colored and in her size, she headed towards the dressing room. He was rooted to the spot, determined to not lose. She turned and raised one eyebrow, beckoning him. His feet started to move.

"You've got too much control over me. I kinda like it." He murmured in her ear, running one hand down her waist and she shivered, watching him carefully. "Go ahead." He pointed to one of the doors. "I'll wait."

Mitchie smiled at him, stepping through the door. Closing it carefully, she began to change. Examining herself in the mirror, she glanced down. High heeled shoes were clacking their way to where Shane stood. "This wasn't part of the plan." She muttered nervously, listening to the dressing room attendant's nervous giggle. "Shit." She breathed, opening the door, grabbing Shane and pulling him in quickly.

"Whoa." He choked out, staring at her. She turned back to the mirror, studying herself. "You are...gorgeous." Shane murmured, moving to stand behind her. She turned so she faced him, a few inches shorter.

"Thank you." She breathed, placing one hand on his shoulder, bringing herself dangerously close to him. Shifting from foot to foot in her jeans, Mitchie stood on tip toe to kiss his jaw lightly, working her way up to his earlobe.

"You're killing me." He muttered, and she giggled innocently. "Really; I think I'm about to die...oh God Mitchie!" He groaned, as she flicked his earlobe with her tongue lightly. "You're going to regret all this tonight when we get back to the bus." He warned, and she shrugged.

"Totally worth it." She stated, pulling back and smiling. Falling onto the bench with a groan, Shane tipped his head back and closed his eyes impatiently.

"Can I open my eyes yet?" He asked, and she fought back more laughter. Reaching for her original bra, she slid it on.

"If you want to totally lose this challenge and end up having sex in a dressing room, then open your eyes." She teased and Shane's eyebrows raised, though his eyes remained shut.

"Is that supposed to make me keep my eyes shut?" He asked playfully. Mitchie laughed and pulled her tank top on.

"You're so bad." She muttered. "But you can open your eyes."

* * *

Hours later, everyone piled back into the limo, thoroughly exhausted. Mitchie had her arms around Shane, her head on his shoulder. Nate was laying across one of the seats, head in Heather's lap. Jason and Peggy were sitting on one of the side seats, Peggy asleep in Jason's arms.

"As soon as we get home, you're mine." Shane warned, and she looked up at him seriously.

"I've always been yours." She mumbled, closing her eyes again. "Don't think today hasn't been hard for me too; teasing you but not getting anything in return? It was awful. Though...I'm sure your day was much worse." She added, snuggling up against his side. He nodded.

"It was hell." Shane stated, playing with her fingers idly. She gave him a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry. But you win if you can make it all the way back to the bus." She soothed, resting her head on his shoulder again. He took a deep breath and nodded.

"I can do it." He said, more for himself than Mitchie.

* * *

Heather glanced out the window of the limo. She could see the bus; it was maybe 30 yards away. "It's raining crazy hard guys." She announced. "We're gonna have to run." She told them and everyone smiled. They didn't mind getting a little bit wet.

Out in the rain, Shane grabbed Mitchie's hand, pulling her back to him. "What are you doing?" She yelled over the downpour. "We're not on the bus yet!"

He shook the hair out of his eyes. "I don't care." He yelled back, spinning her around and pressing her up the limo, kissing her roughly. Mitchie tangled her fingers through his wet hair.

"You lose!" She breathed and he didn't answer, too busy kissing her. "We're gonna freeze out here!" She screamed, her clothes matted to her figure.

"Well, we'll warm each other up." He spoke finally, taking her by the hand and dragging her into the bus. Stumbling down the hall, he threw open the bathroom door and followed her inside. Sliding past her, he turned on the shower. She stared at him.

"I am not taking a shower with you. I love you, but no." She stated, and he rolled his eyes, flinging his shirt off and letting it fall to the ground.

"You can keep your underwear on." He said as though it were obvious, shedding his soaked jeans and stepping into the hot water, leaving his boxers on. Thinking for a moment, she shivered.

"Okay." Undressing quickly, she slid the shower curtain back and joined him. "Wanna hear something crazy?" She asked, and he nodded, blinking through the steam already forming. "This isn't awkward at all."

With those words, Shane kissed her fervently, pushing her up against the wall of the shower, letting his hands slide over her wet body. Mitchie latched her hands at his neck, bringing him as close as possible. Tongues fighting for dominance, she let out a small moan, and he felt his self-control ebbing away.

"I—"

"Love—"

"You." She gasped as he ran his hands back up over her breasts, pushing his mouth closer to hers, needing her, wanting her. The hot water poured down around them, as Shane placed his hands at the back of her thighs, lifting her up and stepping between her legs. "We're going to get carried away." She moaned, as he placed several open mouthed kisses against her neck and collarbone.

"Are you saying we should stop?" He asked, and she shook her head, kissing him gently.

"I'm just warning you, we're going to get carried away." She whispered, looking into his eyes. Shane brushed a lock of wet hair out of her face.

"I'm not going to hurt you." He murmured, turning and shutting the water off. Grabbing a bunch of towels, he handed half of them to her. "I'm sorry."

She frowned. "What are you sorry for?"

"Pushing you that far I guess." Shane explained, stepping out of the shower and wrapping the towel around his waist, flipping his head over and rubbing his hair with the other.

Mitchie wrapped herself in the towel, watching him. "Shane, it's okay. Sooner or later, we're going to end up having sex. Maybe it'll be when we're married. Maybe it won't be. I don't know. But I don't think there's anything wrong with us being like we are. We're not going to get any further if we never push. It's okay." She whispered, kissing his cheek. "I love you." She added, stepping out of the bathroom and back to their room.

**Hmmm. Not completely happy with it. But whatever. Thoughts? **


	16. Chapter 16

_**This Is Me**_

**Holy crap you guys. I am so excited. July 29th, I am going to see the Jonas Brothers in concert. I am SOOO frekkin excited. If you are going too, let me know. Anyway. My record # of reviews is 440 for Some Like It Hot. Currently, This Is Me has 380. Instead of doing a prize for 400th reviewer, the prize will go to the person who breaks the record and the 441st reviewer. Good luck! We only need 60 more reviews to break the record!!**

Shane woke as Mitchie turned in his arms to face him. "Good morning." She breathed, kissing him slowly. He smiled, returning the embrace.

"I love you, I love you, I love you." He whispered, kissing her lips lightly with each declaration. She giggled, running her fingers through his hair. "I really like seeing you in my clothes." Shane added, glancing down at her body. Mitchie laughed and fingered his button down shirt she had grabbed off the floor to sleep in.

"I like being in your clothes." She retorted, pulling the blankets back up and snuggling against his chest. "I'm going back to bed. You can go though, if you want. Wake me up when something exciting is gonna happen."

Shane rolled his eyes and slid down beside her. "You think I'm gonna leave my hot girlfriend in bed by herself? Hell no. I'll be right here." He whispered, lacing his fingers against her stomach.

* * *

Shane raised his eyebrows in surprise. "What did you just say?" He questioned, staring at Mitchie over the table. She raised a forkful of scrambled eggs to her mouth and sighed.

"I think we should tell people we're together." She repeated, popping the food into her mouth. Shane sat back in his chair, stunned. He had, of course, thought about that idea. But he hadn't realized she had been thinking it as well.

"Not that I'm against it...but why?" He asked curiously, standing up from the table, taking her hand and leading her to the couch. She sat down, curled against him. Mitchie shrugged, straddling him with a small smile.

"Well, for one I'm selfish and I want everyone to know we're together. Two, I'm tired of girls flirting with you and knowing that I can't do anything about it because, they don't know we're together. And three, because I want to be able to do this," she paused to kiss him slowly, teasing his tongue with hers, "any time I want."

Shane groaned inwardly in disappointment as she drew away. "Those are some good reasons." He admitted, and she grinned, her eyes sparkling in a way that drove him crazy. "So when are we going to do this crazy plan?" He asked and she bit her lip.

"I was actually thinking tonight. At the concert." Mitchie whispered, leaning forward and resting her head on his shoulder. He nodded, moving his hands down her back before shifting so he hovered over her.

"We'll do it right before the last song." Shane promised, dipping his head down to capture her lips. Mitchie nodded, linking her hands across his back, pulling him close. Nate and Heather stepped out of their room carefully. Nate recoiled at the sight of the couple on the couch and groaned.

Heather quickly stepped in front of him. "Don't freak. Just ignore them." She whispered, kissing his cheek lightly. "Oh...and I have some bad news." She added, taking his hand and leading him back to his room. Nate raised one eyebrow as a question.

"What's wrong?" He asked, putting one hand on her waist. Heather was starting to blink back tears. "Oh don't cry. Please don't cry." Nate plead, taking her hand.

"My parents...want me to come home. They're meeting me tonight after the concert. I have to go." She whispered.

* * *

"And if it's all right with you guys, I'd like to welcome a Miss Mitchie Torres back to the stage!" Shane announced into the microphone confidently, even if he felt like he was about to throw up. Mitchie practically danced onto the stage, waved to Nate and Jason and hugged Shane lightly.

"Don't panic." She said through a smile, standing beside him. He laughed under his breath, and raised the microphone back to his mouth.

"Mitchie has been touring with us as our opening act along with our friend Peggy, but we're gonna let you guys in on a secret. The people at this concert are the first people to find this out." Shane said, and Mitchie smiled, her hand itching to lace itself with Shane's.

"Mitchie and I have been dating since the end of the summer." He announced, and there was a mixed response. Most people cheered, but Mitchie could also hear the beginnings of sobbing coming from the audience. "And for the record, we're not planning on breaking up any time soon." Shane added, kissing her lightly on the mouth as the spotlights swiveled to shine down on their faces.

"And on a sadder note, this is the last song of the night. I'd like to dedicate it to Mitchie, my girlfriend." Shane stated, and the cheering rose in pitch.

"_Oh_

_They come and go, but they don't know_

_That you are my beautiful_

_I try to come closer with you_

_But they all say we won't make it through_

_But I'll be there forever_

_You will see that it's better_

_All our hopes and our dreams will come true_

_I will not disappoint you_

_I will be right there for you_

_Til the end_

_The end of time_

_Please be mine_

_Oh_

_I'm in and out of love with you_

_Trying to find if it's really true_

_Na na na na..._

_How can I prove my love_

_If they all think I'm not good enough_

_But I'll be there forever_

_You will see that it's better_

_All our hopes and our dreams will come true_

_I will not disappoint you_

_I will be right there for you_

_Til the end_

_The end of time_

_Please be mine_

_Oh_

_Yeah!_

_I can't stop the rain from falling_

_I can't stop my heart from calling you_

_It's calling you_

_I can't stop the rain from falling_

_I can't stop my heart from calling you_

_It's calling you_

_I can't stop the rain from falling_

_I can't stop my heart from calling you_

_It's calling you_

_But I'll be there forever _

_You will see that it's better_

_All our hopes and our dreams will come true_

_I will not disappoint you_

_I will be right there for you_

_Til the end_

_The end of time _

_Please be mine"_

Mitchie felt her eyes watering as Shane took her hand and kissed it slowly. "Love you." He whispered, eyes twinkling at her. She smiled mouthing it back to him. "Please don't cry baby." Shane breathed, taking a step closer and brushing away the tears that fell down her face. Turning back to the audience, he raised the microphone back to his mouth as Nate and Jason did the same.

"Have a great night you guys!" All three yelled as the lights dimmed. Mitchie turned back to Shane, still crying.

"That was so sweet." She whispered, running one hand down the side of his face. "I've never heard it before." She added, posing it as a question.

"I wrote it at camp. I...I wrote it for you." Shane mumbled, glancing down. Mitchie gasped and hugged him tightly.

"I love it. And I'm already yours." She promised, tangling their fingers together with a smile.

* * *

Heather and Mitchie hugged one last time, her parents standing behind her, glaring at Nate. Shane hugged the blonde girl, then stepped back to allow Jason and Peggy their hugs. Nate stepped forward, hugging her tightly. As she pulled away, he kissed her cheek softly. "You have my number." He mumbled, and she nodded, blinking back tears.

"Bye guys." She whispered, turning to walk with her parents back to the car. Shane sighed and wrapped an arm around Mitchie's waist.

"I don't want that to ever be us." He murmured, and she nodded softly. "Let's get back on the bus. I want to talk to you about something." Mitchie turned to glance up at him, worry in her eyes. "Not like that. Let's just go inside."

Mitchie sat on the bed, watching Shane pace around their room. "Are you sure you're not breaking up with me?" She asked, partially kidding. He turned to her, horror struck. "Just kidding." She mumbled, holding her hands up to surrender.

"No. It's just that, well, now that we're officially a couple, in the press' eyes, they're going to be making up crazy stuff. So I was thinking, we should do one interview. Just one, to a magazine we like and trust. And answer almost anything they want, and then be done." Shane suggested, sitting beside her, laying his head in her lap.

"I'm game. But is anyone going to want to talk to me? I mean, you, sure. You're Shane Grey. But I'm just your girlfriend." Mitchie sighed, playing with his hair.

Shane rolled his eyes. "You are so much more than just my girlfriend. Besides, we're not going to take no for an answer. So. I was thinking People magazine." He added, smiling. She nodded, tangling her fingers in his hair.

"I'm trusting you."

* * *

Shane opened the door for Mitchie, who smiled up at him. The reporter rose from the table she was seated at. "Hey guys. I'm Cara Holloway. I'll be conducting the interview today. Thanks so much for suggesting this!" The woman greeted, extending her hand. Both Shane and Mitchie shook it and took seats across from her. "So. I've got several questions already drawn up for the hottest new couple in the music scene, but you two are more than welcome to just talk."

Shane shrugged. "We're good with whatever you want. Let's go easy though and have you ask us what you want first." Mitchie shifted nervously. She had no idea what to say. Cara nodded and tapped something into her laptop.

"Okay. How long have you two been dating? We know you announced it at a concert, but we don't know how long you've kept it quiet." Shane glanced at Mitchie, who shrugged.

"I guess I'll answer this one." She said, giggling at Shane. "We've been dating since the end of Camp Rock, the camp that Shane's uncle owns. We met there and became friends but by the end of summer, we knew we wanted to be together." Cara nodded and smiled.

"Okay. So what everyone wants to know is where a certain silver band has gone from Shane's finger. Can you solve this mystery?" She asked, leaning forward eagerly. Mitchie, smiling, brought her hand forward for a moment, allowing the flash of silver to be seen. Cara's eyes lit up as she typed eagerly at her laptop.

Shane wrapped an arm around Mitchie's shoulder. "I gave it to her a few months ago. When we broke up, she gave it back. 3 months after that, I gave it back to her." He stated, looking down at Mitchie, who beamed.

Cara's eyes narrowed and she looked at them. "So you broke up? Why was that? Too close on the tour bus? Cheating?" Both Shane and Mitchie shook their heads.

"I asked her to marry me, and she felt like she wasn't ready. I blew it out of proportion and broke up with her." Shane admitted, taking Mitchie's hand. Cara's eyes widened.

"But we got back together after 3 months of awkward moments on the bus. We figured out we were crazy about each other." Mitchie added, laughing. "But that's been our only low point."

Cara nodded, checking something on her screen. "Okay. We're live with a few other editors who have a couple of questions. First. Mitchie, what's the most romantic thing Shane's done for you?"

Mitchie giggled and pretended to think for a moment. "It was either the canoe ride after Final Jam, or our first date. After Final Jam we went on a canoe ride, and we kissed for the first time and he asked me to be his girlfriend. On our first date, we were actually on the tour bus. He took me back onto the bus and it looked totally different. He had made dinner, and hanging on all the walls were black and white pictures of us a friend had been taking without telling us. It was beautiful." She finished, beaming up at Shane.

Cara smiled and laughed at something one of the editors had sent. "They want to know something you've never told the other." Shane blushed, and Mitchie fought back laughter.

"I'll go first." Mitchie volunteered, smiling at Shane, whose eyes widened in mock fear. "You know the Connect 3 song 'Burnin' Up'? Well...I was watching the video a few days ago, and I kinda...made a few inappropriate comments. Regarding the lyrics." She mumbled, and Shane stared at her, trying not to laugh. "Stop laughing Shane! Your turn. Reveal your deepest secret Superstar."

Cara looked up. "Is that a nickname for him?" She asked, and Mitchie nodded, grinning. Shane thought for a moment.

"Something I've never told Mitchie...hmm...oh. I know. So we're at Camp Rock right? And I just met the most amazing girl ever, named Mitchie. And her name is all I can say. Even in my sleep apparently. Because my band mates, er, kinda walked in on a slightly, uhm...inappropriate dream, that I might have been having about Miss Popstar here." He elbowed her playfully. Mitchie felt her cheeks heat up.

Cara nodded and leaned forward again, this time towards Mitchie. "On that note, I'm about to ask you something that is on the minds of almost every teenage girl in the country. Maybe the world." Mitchie nodded and Shane shifted nervously in his seat. "What's the sex like?' Mitchie's jaw dropped, and Shane laughed.

"It's as amazing as she looks." Shane stated, a wolfish grin across his face. Mitchie turned to stare at him in horror.

Mitchie quickly recovered herself. "We actually haven't had sex. We've both decided to wait until marriage. But he's great making out." She added, grinning at her boyfriend. Shane laughed and, ignoring Cara, kissed her longingly, running his hands down her body. Mitchie pulled away; blushing. "Sorry about that." She apologized and Cara shrugged, still typing.

Shane pulled Mitchie onto his lap and smiled at Cara. "I am sorry. Sometimes I get distracted. And I was kidding; we haven't had sex."

She smiled at them. "So. No sex until marriage. Are there any plans for marriage in the future?" Mitchie choked, but played it off as a cough. Shane shrugged.

"I'm not sure. I've already proposed; now it's up to Mitchie. I definitely see her as my wife, and not just so I can sleep with her. I love this woman." He stated, kissing the top of her head. She grinned.

"I'm 16 years old. I don't know what I want for breakfast tomorrow; let alone what I definitely want in life. But I know I want to be with Shane. I don't care if we're best friends, still dating, or married in 10 years. But I want him around." She finished, tucking her head in the crook of his neck.

Cara smiled softly. "You guys are adorable. Well. I wish I could get even more nosy, but I really have all I need...so I'm going to let the photographers take over now. Thank you guys so much!" She sighed, shaking hands with them and rising to leave. Mitchie turned to Shane.

"Photographers?" She gulped, and he nodded. "I look awful!" Mitchie exclaimed. Shane rolled his eyes.

"You look great. But they have make-up artists so we're gonna look amazingly fantastic." Shane soothed, kissing her again. "Come on. Let's go meet them."

* * *

"Mom? It's Mitchie. Hey! Yes...yes...I know how long it's been. I'm sorry Mom. But I was calling to let you know Shane and I just did an interview with People magazine! Yes! I know, right? I was so excited. And right now we're about to go do a photo shoot. Thought I'd warn you before you saw it on the new stands. Yes...I know. I will. I gotta go. Love you." She hung up and turned to Shane. "Okay. Now what?"

He took her hand and led her over to the photographers. "We're ready whenever you are." He told them and the man nodded. He turned back to Mitchie. "They're basically gonna tell us what to do. We do it, hold for a sec, they'll take the picture and change positions. It's easy." He coached, and she nodded, a smile playing across her face.

The man stepped forward. "First, we want you sitting Shane. Mitchie is it? Yes? Okay, you're going to be in his lap. Shane, hands on her stomach, both smiling." Following his orders, Shane sat, pulling Mitchie on top of him.

"Think of something...or someone who makes you happy." He whispered helpfully, instantly painting a genuine smile across his face. Mitchie closed her eyes briefly, taking herself back to that moment in the canoe when they had kissed. Her face lit up.

The photographer snapped the picture, and nodded at them. Shane relaxed, falling backwards, dragging Mitchie down with him. "Hello." He mumbled, as she flipped over to face him. She grinned down at him, brushing the hair out of his eyes.

"Hello." She replied, kissing him softly. Little did they know another photographer waited at the side of the shoot, snapping pictures through the embrace. The first man called them back.

"Stand together, front hands linked. Mitchie's hand on top, ring facing out. Shane, back hand on her waist, Mitchie, in his hair. Look at each other happily." He coached and Shane eagerly pulled her close, tangling their hands together. "Good. Hold it...hold it...good...wait. Keep holding that."

Shane grinned down at her. "I like having you this close." He whispered, not moving his lips for the benefit of the camera still clicking away. Mitchie rolled her eyes, smiling more widely.

"You could have me this close any time you wanted Superstar." She returned, speaking through her smile. Shane raised one eyebrow and she laughed. "No really. Don't look at me like that." She whispered.

"You can relax while we plan our next move." The man said, and Shane kissed her quickly, running his hand down the side of her face.

The prop woman came on the set. "We're gonna be moving some stuff in, so you might wanna get out of the way." She advised with a friendly smile. The couple shifted out of the way as an electric blue fluffy couch was carried onto the set. Following the couch, the prop woman brought a bright pink guitar and laid it down on the couch. "Have fun." She winked, and ran off set. Mitchie turned to glance at Shane, obviously confused. Shane shrugged and sat down on the couch, patting the seat next to him.

Mitchie sat beside him, shrieking a little as he grabbed her by the waist and flipped her so she was pinned under him. "Smile!" The photographer yelled, and both turned, the smiles from before back in place. "Perfect. Just have fun. Mess around." He called. Shane sank down on top of her, holding her by the waist.

"Nuh uh. You're always on top. Flip over." She scolded, wriggling out from under him and immediately laying down so they were stomach to stomach. Shane raised one eyebrow, grinning. "I didn't mean it like that." She groaned, laying her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist as they looked into the camera, both looking very serious but serene.

The prop woman gave them a thumbs up. Mitchie heard the camera click. She waited, then climbed off, grabbing the guitar and holding it so the neck pointed back at Shane. He stood up, attempting to hug her. She jabbed at him with the guitar, laughing. He pouted at the camera, and she turned, still laughing and warding him off with her guitar; poking at random. The camera clicked rapidly, and they could hear the murmur of approval run through the set.

An iPod was thrown at Shane, who, holding the device and ear buds in separate hands, formed a loop. As Mitchie was distracted placing the guitar back, Shane quickly encircled her with the loop, pulling her close. Holding it so the iPod faced out to the camera, he kissed Mitchie's cheek, as she smiled, laughing loudly. Another camera click. "You guys are fantastic!" The photographer exclaimed, almost whooping with joy.

Mitchie continued to laugh as Shane tied her up in the ear bud wires, finishing it with a bow, so the iPod dangled at her stomach. He stood behind her, hands on her shoulders. "Look defeated." He laughed, and she instantly pouted into the camera as Shane flexed behind her. "I always get the girl. No matter what extremes I have to go to." He teased, and she rolled her eyes as the camera flashed for a final time.

"Untie me Superstar."

"Only if you share with me your commentary on one of my favorite songs." Shane compromised, and she sighed, nodding.

* * *

"Okay. So let's hear this amazing commentary you've done. On one of the best songs ever." Nate stated, sitting down in his customary chair. Mitchie turned in shock.

"Shane! I can't do it in front of them!" She exclaimed, and he shrugged, smiling at her. Jason flopped onto the couch, followed by Peggy.

"Sure you can. It'll be fun." He pleaded, and she sighed, nodding. Shane cheered and jumped off the the table to grab the remote. Hitting play, the music video began.

"_I'm hot _

Mitchie sat down on Shane's lap. "Hell yes you are." She stated, giggling a little as Shane kissed her._  
__You're cold __  
_Mitchie turned so she was facing Shane. "Could you warm me up? Please baby?"_  
__You go around __  
__Like you know __  
_She pouted, and Shane raised one eyebrow. "Please?"_  
__Who I am _  
She leaned in close, still talking at a normal volume. "I'd like to get to know you."_  
__But you don't __  
__You've got me on my toes _

_CHORUS __  
__I'm slipping into the lava __  
_She winked at Shane. "I could help you slip out of something." At those words, Nate rose, leaving the room, even if he was laughing. He could tell it was soon going to be a personal moment._  
__And I'm trying to keep from going under __  
_Ignoring Nate, she continued. "I'd go under for you."_  
__Baby, you turn the temperature hotter __  
_Shane winced, his self control still in place. "It is hot. You should start taking those clothes off."_  
__'Cause I'm burnin' up, __  
__Burnin' up for you baby __  
_"Like I said. Take your clothes off." Her voice was low, but Jason and Peggy could still hear her. Giving Jason a knowing look, Peggy rose and took his hand, going back to their room.

_(Come on girl) _

_I fell (I fell)__  
_Mitchie, noticing they were alone, breathed softly in his ear, "You fell from heaven."_  
__So fast (so fast) _

_Can't hold myself back __  
_She laughed, and kept going. "You don't have to worry about hurting me. I'm a big girl."_  
__High heels (high heels) __  
__Red dress (red dress) __  
_Her voice was slower, more seductive. "I look better out of them. Trust me." Shane gulped. _  
__All by yourself __  
_"Would you keep me company?" She whispered, running a hand through his hair, and he nodded._  
__Gotta catch my breath__  
_She nodded seriously. "Yes please. It's not any fun if you're not conscious."

_CHORUS __  
__I'm slipping into the lava __  
__And I'm trying to keep from going under __  
__Baby, you turn the temperature hotter _

"Thank you. I try." She giggled, kissing his cheek. _  
__Cause I'm burnin' up, __  
__Burnin' up for you baby _

_I walk in the room __  
__All I can see is you __  
_"I know what you mean. I feel the same."_  
__Oh, you're staring me down __  
_"You're rather observant." Mitchie stated, laughing. _  
__I know you feel it too __  
_She dropped her voice again to the slow and sultry pitch Shane wasn't used to. "Oh yeah, I'm definitely feeling something."

_CHORUS x2 __  
__I'm slipping into the lava __  
__And I'mma trying to keep from going under_

"I've already told you, you don't need to worry about that." She breathed, grinning at the look on Shane's face. _  
__Baby, you turn the temperature hotter __  
__Cause I'm burnin' up, __  
__Burnin' up for you baby __  
_She put a hand to Shane's forehead. "You do feel slightly warm."

_Slippin' into the lava __  
__And I'm trying to keep from going under __  
__Baby, you turn the temperature hotter __  
__Cause I'm burnin' up, __  
__Burnin' up for you baby _

_BIG ROB'S RAP __  
__Yeah, we're burnin' up __  
__In this place tonight, __  
__The brothers' singing loud __  
__And we're feelin' right! __  
__Get up and dance __  
__Don't try to fight it__  
__Big Rob for real __  
__(And that's no lie) __  
__Stop, drop and roll __  
__And touch the floor__  
__It keeps on burnin' up__  
__More and more __  
__I've got the JB with me __  
__Laying it down__  
__Come on boys, __  
__Let's bring the chorus around! __  
_She shrugged. "I didn't have anything for the rap."

_CHORUS __  
__I'm slipping into the lava_

"Wanna slip into my bed?" She asked, and Shane felt his heart rate increase._  
__(Burnin' up, burnin' up) __  
__And I'm trying to keep from going under (yeah) __  
__Baby, you turn the temperature hotter (come on!) __  
__Cause I'm burnin' up, __  
__Burnin' up for you baby __  
__Burnin' up, __  
__Burnin' up for you"_

The song finished and Shane stared at her. "That was...so hot." He murmured, kissing her slowly. She wrapped her legs around his waist to keep her balance. "And actually pretty funny." Shane added, pulling away.

**13 pages. I'm a beast! Hahaha. Anyway, the Burnin' Up commentary was written by myself and a friend while staring at Joe in this video. As you can see, we got a little carried away. Thoughts? Please review. The song in concert was 'Please Be Mine' from the first Jonas Brothers album. Any Jonas Brothers song is going to be considered a Connect 3 song in here. **


	17. Chapter 17

_**This Is Me**_

**So the general response to the commentary was good; which made me happy. The concert was...amazing. I was about 200 feet away from our boys, and I swear on something amazing that Joe looked right at me. I screamed so loud; it was insane. PM me and I'll tell you more! Anyway. A lot of you thought following the commentary was smutty goodness. Ha! Fooled you. There was no smut, and there will be no smut. Well. Not immediately after that part. That was just dancerlittle and I messing around on AIM, debating whether or not I should put that in there. I'm glad I did. But anyway. It's time for a little bit of drama I think. Everything was going so well; it's my job to mess that up. Enjoy. You're gonna kill me, because...muahahaha. Love...lust? Triangle emerges. Oh snap. (No she didn't!) (uh. yeah. I so did.)**

**This chapter is rated M for language; implied adult situations and possibly actual adult situations. **

Mitchie sat up as the light filled the room. "Shane, you left the blinds open." She whined, burying her face back in her pillow. Shane didn't move. "Shane?" She picked up her head to glance at him. "Shane...wake up." She groaned, poking him. "Shane!" She shrieked, grabbing his shoulder. He didn't move. "Fuck!" She screamed, shaking him.

He shifted slightly. "Good morning." He muttered, rolling over. Mitchie stared at him, horrified. "Why are you looking at me like that?" He questioned, propping himself up.

"I thought you were dead!" She cried, still staring at him. "You didn't answer me or move or anything!" Shane laughed softly, pulling her onto his lap.

"I'm not dead." He whispered, moving one hand up and down her side. "I promise I'm not dead." He whispered again, and she nodded, relaxing into his touch.

"Otherwise I'd be getting felt up by a dead body." She teased, sliding out of his grasp and grabbing clothes from the closet after a moment. "I'm gonna go shower. Don't think about joining me." She gave him a look, warning him. Laughing, he put his hands behind his head.

"Too late." He called and Mitchie glared at him. "I'm going to be thinking about joining you in that hot, steaming shower all morning. So when I pull you from the table at breakfast, asking you to help me plan my outfit for tomorrow's concert, I actually mean make out for a while." He stated, laughing under his breath. Mitchie sighed and walked out the door, shaking her head.

"Don't follow me Shane." She muttered, letting the door fall shut.

Shane tilted his head to the side. "Was it something I said?" He wondered, climbing out of bed.

* * *

Mitchie sat cross-legged on the couch, facing Shane who sat at the other end with a pen and notebook. "Shane?" She reached out and touched his hand. He jumped and glanced over at her.

"Yes?" He turned and looked at her. She shifted nervously, sliding closer to him, until Shane looked worried. "Are you okay?" He asked, and she shrugged.

"I feel bad about being so...short with you this morning." She whispered, and he raised one eyebrow. "When I just walked out and told you not to follow me. I felt bad about it." Shane's eyes widened.

"Oh. No, I was being...er...not my most mature. Sorry about that." He replied, wrapping an arm around her. She curled against him, glancing down at his paper.

"What's that?" Mitchie asked curiously, and he flinched, sliding it out her view. "Sorry?" She asked, glancing at him; very confused.

"It's another song for Connect 3...and it's not perfect yet." He explained, turning away from her. She nodded in understanding.

"Maybe I can help?" She suggested, reaching over him for the notebook. His hand came down on her wrist, stopping her firmly.

"No." Mitchie wrinkled her nose in frustration and sat back against the couch. Shane didn't look over at her, but instead kept working.

"Okay, whatever." She held her hands up and turned her attention to the TV, subtly sliding closer to Shane and the notebook. Taking a deep breath, she quietly reached her hand out towards the notebook. Shane instantly pinned her against the couch. "Hey you." She laughed nervously. She didn't see any playfulness in his eyes.

"Stop it." He snapped. Mitchie recoiled and stared at him. His hands were pressing down on her forearms, keeping her down.

"You're hurting me." She struggled out of his grasp and walked out of the room. Nate was just leaving his room as Mitchie passed by, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Hey!" He grabbed her hand and dragged her into his room. "Are you okay? Why are you crying?" Mitchie shook her head, sitting down on Nate's bed, wiping furiously at her eyes.

"I'm not crying." She mumbled, looking down. Nate rolled his eyes and sat in front of her. "I'm not!" She protested.

"Mitchie. I'm not as stupid as Jason looks. You're upset. I know we're not that close; but I have a feeling you and Shane are going to be together for really long time. We might as well become friends." He stated, looking at her expectantly. "Now what's wrong?"

Mitchie sighed shakily. "Shane's being...I don't even know. He's writing some song, and I might have tried a few times to see what he was writing. But I really only wanted to help. He said he was stuck. And he pinned me down and I guess it hurt." She finished, not meeting Nate's eyes. Slowly, she rolled up her shirtsleeves, wincing at the reddish marks that were already forming bruises in the shape of fingers.

"Oh my God. Okay. First of all, what he did was not okay. It wasn't okay at all. But that's just how he gets when he's writing a song. His temper gets shorter, he's more irritable, and he's not cool to be around. I don't know why. He's going to apologize right after he finishes that song; of that I'm almost positive. I'm sorry you had to see him like that." Nate explained, giving her a sympathetic look.

"I don't want him to apologize. I want him to stop acting like that; he's like that every time he writes a song? Maybe he hasn't gotten the memo, but he's in a band that plays songs. Every time he writes he turns into an asshole. And as long as that's true, I'm done. I'm not going to put myself through that." She decided, falling back on Nate's bed, staring at the ceiling. Nate stared at her.

"You're gonna dump him?" He asked, looking very confused. Mitchie picked up her head to glance at him.

"No, I'm not gonna dump him. But I'm going to try and get him to change. I do want to be with him. The nice him." She clarified, laying down again. Nate nodded, not quite sure he understood.

"Well...good luck with that." He said awkwardly, standing up and walking for the door. "I'm gonna go talk to Shane." He added, leaving.

* * *

"You're an idiot." Nate said casually, sitting down next to Shane. He looked up at his friend, glaring and tapping his pen against the paper. "You've got an amazing girlfriend who is laying on my bed, crying because of you." Shane looked at him.

"What are you talking about?" He spat, not taking him seriously. Nate hit him on the arm roughly. "Dude, what is your problem?" Shane questioned.

"My problem is that you're being an asshole to an amazing girl who is considering breaking up with you because you hurt her. She has bruises on her arms in the shape of your fingers. What's your problem?" Nate snapped, looking seriously at Shane.

"You know how I get when I'm writing." Shane offered weakly. Nate shook his head.

"No. You wrote that song for Mitchie at camp and you weren't like this. You wrote 'Play My Music' at camp and you weren't like this. Try again." He said sternly, leaning back in his seat.

Shane rolled his eyes. "I don't like to be distracted when I'm writing. At camp I was alone." He tried, glancing at Nate for approval.

"It doesn't matter. You don't get to hurt her. Maybe you didn't hear me; she has bruises in the shape of your fingers on her arms. I don't know exactly what you did but it wasn't cool dude. You've gotta snap out of this. She only wanted to help you." Nate said softly, standing to leave. Shane groaned.

"Tell her I'm sorry." He asked and Nate laughed, pausing outside his door.

"Tell her yourself."

* * *

Mitchie was asleep, curled against Nate's pillow. Nate sighed. She was pretty and funny, but she wasn't Heather. And Shane would kill him...and there was the fact that she didn't even like him that way. Might as well remove the temptation and put her back in her own room. Bending over her, he said softly, "Mitchie, I'm going to pick you up. I'm taking you back to your room okay? Don't freak out when I pick you up." He warned. She shifted slightly, mumbling something. Nate scooped her up and she turned in his arms to curl against his chest.

"Shane..." She mumbled, grabbing some of Nate's shirt, clutching it in her hands. "Shane..." She moaned, and Nate stiffened. He opened the door to her bedroom and still walking carefully, pulled back the blankets and set her down. Gently, he pulled the blankets back over her and turned, not realizing she still had a grip on his shirt. "Thank you Nate." She breathed, pulling him down to kiss him lightly on the cheek.

Nate froze. "You're...you're welcome." He stammered, turning on his heel and leaving quickly. "Oh fuck." He whispered, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. "Oh fuck." He repeated, casting a wary glance down the hall to where Shane sat, still writing.

* * *

Shane glanced up as she entered. She sat down next to him quietly, not touching him. He could feel his heart breaking. "Come here." He whispered, and she inched over. "Mitchie." He sighed. Hesitantly, she came closer. Sighing gently, he pulled her onto his lap, wrapping her in his arms. She curled against him, resting her head on his shoulder, her body shaking with silent tears.

"I'm sorry." She sobbed, burying her head in the crook of his neck. Shane rubbed her back, rocking back and forth slowly. "I'm so sorry. I was only trying to help and I guess I just didn't understand..." She whispered as he stared at her.

"Mitchie, baby, if anyone should be sorry, it's me. And I am so sorry. I know there's nothing I can say that is going to take the pain back. Nate told me about the bruises. I thought I was going to die. Mitchie...I'm so sorry. I won't even protest if you want to break up with me. I could kill myself for hurting you." Shane murmured, and she shook her head.

"I don't want to be like this." She whispered. He pulled back to look at her; a mixture of pain and confusion in his eyes. "I love you Shane. But sometimes when we fight, or whatever, it gets really bad. And I don't want to be like that." Mitchie stated, clinging to his shoulder. Shane nodded.

"I know. I hate it when we fight. I hate it when you cry...and from now on I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure we don't fight and you don't cry. I know today was rough for you. It was rough for me as well...but Mitchie, all I'm asking is that you don't give up. Please. Don't give up on us." He whispered. Mitchie bit her lip and looked him in the eyes.

"I don't want to get hurt anymore." She whispered, another tear falling. Shane instantly brushed it away, kissing her cheek. Cautiously, he slid up her shirtsleeves. Seeing the bruises; he winced and closed his eyes tightly.

"I look at those bruises and want to kill the asshole who put his hands on you...and then it hits me. I did that to you. Mitchie, I'm not going to hurt you anymore. You've got to trust me." He promised, holding out his hand.

She paused, looking at his hand for a moment. Nodding, she placed her hand in his, blinking back more tears. "I trust you." Mitchie whispered, kissing him softly. He hugged her tightly, a smile lighting up his face. Nate turned away and went back into his room.

"Damn. This is not good." He groaned, burying his face in his pillow.

* * *

**Oh snap. So. Love...lust? triangle emerges. And all I'm going to say is that I'm not going to break up our favorite couple. Please tell me what you thought. **


	18. Chapter 18

_**This Is Me**_

**Well...your reaction to the last chapter was fairly amusing. ****Everyone was like, "NO! Nate CAN'T like Mitchie!" I was giggling to myself. And I feel kinda bad for stirring up all this drama. Oh. And someone reviewed Some Like It Hot, so now The person who reviews **_**This is Me**_** for the 442****nd**** time will have her chance to win Nate over and distract him from Mitchie. Start fighting and jockeying for positions. Hahaha. Good luck! (Update, as of 10:37 pm. I just got my 441****st**** review on this story. THE FIRST PERSON TO REVIEW THIS CHAPTER WILL GET THE PRIZE!) And to make this a bit more interesting, and to make sure you don't just scroll all the way down after reading this part, I'd like you to name 3 things you liked about the chapter. Good luck again. **

Mitchie turned from the counter to see who had sat down. Nate smiled back at her softly. "Things go okay last night?" He asked, and she shrugged, flipping the french toast over.

"I guess. I cried, we both apologized and I really don't know what we are now." She mumbled, turning back to the stove. Nate tried not to stare but it was hard. She was wearing a pair of spandex-like shorts in a shocking shade of blue with one of Shane's dress shirts; an equally shocking fuchsia. Her dark hair was down her back, waving slightly.

"You look pretty." He stated. She turned around again, one hand splayed on her hip. She tipped her head to the side, eyes wide.

"What did you say?" She asked. Nate shook his head, standing up to slide past her. She shifted away as he grabbed a plate from the cabinet, quickly flipping a piece of toast onto his plate.

"It doesn't matter." He muttered, sitting down. Mitchie looked at him for a moment as Shane came into the room. "Hey Shane." Nate said softly.

Shane nodded at him, too tired to speak. Mitchie giggled. "Someone didn't get much sleep last night." She teased. Shane shook his head, groaning. "And why was that?" She asked, pressing a hand against her mouth.

"I was too busy watching you sleep to actually go to sleep myself." He said in a monotone, his voice thick with exhaustion. Mitchie laughed and kissed him softly. His eyes grew wide. "That woke me up." He stated, smirking. "I'm gonna go get dressed." He decided, turning. Nate stood.

"I need to talk to you." He took Mitchie's hand and led her down the steps of the bus. It was raining lightly; more of a drizzle really. She looked at him; a bit unsure of what was going on. "He's not right for you." Nate stated. Mitchie stared at him.

"What...what are you talking about?" She stammered, backing away from him. Nate reached out gently for her hand. "Nate, stop." She whispered.

"Mitchie, he's not good for you. He's not good to you. You know that. You deserve so much better. Let me show you what it's like to be loved. Just give me a chance." She shook her head, tears brimming as he hugged her.

"Stop it." She whispered fiercely, shoving him away and running back up the steps, into her room. Shane turned as she hugged him tightly. "I love you." She mumbled into his chest, tears spilling over. He looked down at her in horror.

"Why are you crying? What happened?" He demanded, holding her at arm's length to examine her. Slowly, he turned her around, checking her for any obvious injuries.

"It..." She took a deep breath. There was no need to get Nate in trouble as well. "It's nothing. I just had a Shane craving." She smiled weakly. He looked at her, clearly not believing her.

"Mitchie, if you think I'm going to believe that, you're sadly mistaken. What's wrong?" Shane asked, and she groaned, flinging open the window in their bedroom and crawling out. Landing softly in the grass she found the ladder and crawled up the side of the bus, settling down on the roof. "Mitchie, what the hell are you doing?" Shane climbed out after her and stood down below. She shrugged.

"Getting away from everything." She said softly, staring out at the field. Shane climbed up the ladder and sat next to her quietly. "I don't want to talk about it Shane." She whispered. He nodded and pulled her onto his lap, letting her lean against him.

"You don't have to talk. You just have to know that I'll be here, holding you." He murmured, kissing her cheek. Mitchie blinked back more tears, closing her eyes.

"I really do love you. You know that right?" She mumbled, keeping her eyes shut. Shane nodded against her cheek as he rested his head on her shoulder. "And I'm sorry for this." She added.

Shane nodded again. "It's okay. I don't know what's bothering you, but that's okay with me. Because I'm the one who gets to hold you and make it better." He stated, holding her tightly. Mitchie let out a shaky breath, linking her hands with his.

"I promise, I will tell you what's wrong. Right now though, I just need to figure things out." She promised, snuggling against him. He smiled at her gently.

"Whenever you're ready, I'll be here." Shane whispered against her neck. She shifted slightly under his hot breath as it tickled her neck. "I love you so much." He added, kissing from her jawline to her neck gently.

Mitchie sighed, playing with his fingers. "I just wish we could go back to camp, where everything was...simpler." She whispered. Shane agreed quietly, one hand rubbing up and down her side. "Okay. I think I'm ready to talk." He looked up at her.

"Are you sure? Because you don't have to if you're not positive." He reassured her. Mitchie nodded, blinking back more tears. "Okay, if you're definitely sure."

"After what happened yesterday," she started and Shane winced at the recollection. "After yesterday, Nate was calming me down and everything. I guess I fell asleep in his room because he picked me up and put me back in our room. I said thank you, and I kissed him on the cheek." Shane nodded, taking all of it in. "I didn't mean it in a way anything more than friendship, I promise." He nodded again, continuing to rub her side. "This morning, when you went to get dressed, he took me outside. He told me you weren't right for me and how all you did was hurt me. He wanted me to give him a chance. I freaked and ran inside. Which leaves us here, on the roof of a tour bus." She finished, wiping away a tear.

Shane clenched one fist. "I should go down there and..." Mitchie set a hand over his fist, giving him a pleading look as more tears fell.

"Don't. Jason and Peggy are hiding in their room because of all the drama going on. I just...I don't understand how we went from the photo shoot to yesterday. It's like...I don't know. It scared me though. How fast our relationship could change. I don't want any more drama. I want to be with you. I just...I just want to be happy." She pleaded, biting her lip and the tears poured over. Shane held her close.

"I'm sorry. I don't know how we got to this point either. But it doesn't matter, because I'm going to make it better. I promise." Mitchie looked up at him through her eyelashes.

"Promise is a big word." She mumbled, looking down. Shane kissed her slowly, gently laying her down on the smooth surface of the roof. Moving so he was on top of her, he slid both hands under her shirt to caress her sides. Mitchie hitched one leg around his waist, her hands tangled at the base of his neck. "I believe you." She gasped, breaking away and looking into his eyes. "And I love you, but not so much that I'm going to have sex with you on the roof of our tour bus." She breathed as his hands slipped higher. Shane looked at her.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to have sex with you on the roof of my tour bus either. I'm only looking to...get closer to you." He breathed, removing one hand and, slipping it under her and sliding it down her back to press her against him. "Mitchie, I love you so much." He whispered in her ear as she arched against him, sighing his name.

"We are...not...doing this up...here." She stated, sitting up and adjusting Shane's shirt she had borrowed last night. "As much as I would like to, I think one of us has to have the self-control." She added, pecking his lips lightly. He laughed and turned to climb down the ladder.

"Okay, that's cool. But I was thinking. Maybe we need a shower. And there is an energy crisis going on right now...we should save water and shower together." He smirked up at her from the ground. Mitchie rolled her eyes and stepped neatly down the ladder and back through the bedroom window.

"But we keep our underwear on." She stated, grinning at him over her shoulder. Shane hopped through the window and followed her down the hall to the bathroom.

"Deal." He murmured, shutting the door behind him and locking it.

* * *

Mitchie laid sprawled across the bed, her head on Shane's chest and her arms around his waist. He had his hands down her back, holding her close. Both were asleep and half-dressed. Shane had a pair of his famous pants on, while Mitchie had changed to another pair of shorts and one of the bras he had picked out while packing months ago. "Shane..." She groaned, stretching and and sliding up the bed so they were eye to eye.

He shifted slightly, opening one eye. "Hello. How long have we been laying here?" He asked groggily. She shrugged, burying her face in his chest. "I think I need to go talk to Nate." He mumbled, closing his eyes.

Mitchie picked up her head. "What are you going to talk about?" She asked, her voice panicked. Shane shrugged and rolled over so he was hovering over her.

"Stuff. You." Shane said casually, staring at a spot behind her. Mitchie groaned and pushed her lower lip out, grabbing his shoulder.

"Shane, don't. Just drop it. We can just move on." She pleaded, pulling him down for another embrace, hoping she could distract him. Shane kissed her for a moment, before pulling away.

"I'm not going to get mad. I just need to talk to him. Really." He stated, getting off the bed and grabbing a shirt. "I'll be back. Love you." He declared, leaving. Mitchie groaned.

"Love you too. Please don't kill him." She called, burying her face in Shane's pillow, inhaling slightly.

* * *

Shane sat down across from Nate. "Dude, we gotta talk." He stated, folding his hands. Nate looked up and went pale. "I'm not going to freak out, okay? I just want to talk to you." Shane clarified, leaning forward towards his friend. Nate nodded slightly.

"I'm sorry man. It's just...Mitchie's so...she's smart, funny, gorgeous, sings and plays guitar. She's perfect for you. And yet, even though that's true, there are those moments; those days; when you treat her like shit. That makes me so mad because it's like you don't even know how lucky you are. I just...I want her to know what it's like to be loved unconditionally. To not have to worry about your boyfriend's temper snapping and getting hurt. I want her to just...I don't even know. I'm sorry." Nate stated, looking Shane in the eyes. Shane closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"I understand. Because she is. She's everything you said and so much more. And I know how lucky I am. Everyday, when I wake up and she's in my arms, or when she's making breakfast I just want to drop on my knees and cry, thanking God for bringing her into my life. She's the most amazing person I've ever met Nate...and I know sometimes I don't treat her the way she deserves to be treated. I know that and it kills me. She is loved unconditionally. We fight; yes but that's what makes our relationship so good. We always make up and we get past it. I know my temper is an issue. I'm working on it, because I love her. And...I know you're sorry. You can't help who you fall for. But all I'm asking is that you don't try and take her from me. I'm on my knees, begging you to not try and take her away from me. I would die." Shane finished, standing up.

Nate nodded. "I would never do that. But if she comes to me crying again, I can't promise that I won't hurt you." He said seriously. Shane shrugged.

"If I make her cry again, I'd want you to hurt me." He admitted, giving his friend a "man-hug." Nate grinned at his friend.

"Then we're agreed." The outer appearance was one of friendship; though both boys knew they'd never be the same. Shane had already won, and Nate was trying to make up ground. Things were changing faster than anyone could realize.

* * *

Shane and Mitchie sat on the roof of the bus again, this time wrapped in a blanket from their bed as they watched the sun set slowly. Mitchie leaned against him, smiling softly. She tilted her head up to look at Shane. "We're pretty amazing together, aren't we?" She whispered, her eyes sparkling.

Shane nodded, kissing her cheek. "We are." He agreed, looking out over the horizon. Mitchie looked back up at him.

"What did you talk to Nate about?" She whispered, biting her lip. Shane gently kissed her so she would stop biting. He laughed, holding both of her hands.

"You. And yes, we did just talk. We both agreed to cool it. And he's not going to try and take you from me. He promised." Shane looked up at the sky. "Damn. It got dark fast." He commented. Mitchie looked around. The sky that had once been on fire was now a dark blue, and getting darker by the moment. The bus gave a might lurch. "Shit!" Shane yelled, as the bus pulled into a drive. Mitchie was laughing hysterically, clutching Shane's hands. "Why are you laughing?" He demanded.

Mitchie, still laughing, looked at him. "Have you forgotten that there are guard-rails around the top of this bus? They go about 3 feet high?" She stated, giggling and climbing to her feet shakily.

Shane stood up carefully. "Mitchie, are you crazy?" He yelled, and she shrugged, spreading her arms wide on the top of the bus.

"We're only going, like 30 miles an hour in the middle of no where." She pointed out, beckoning him closer. It was as though she had a string tied to Shane and her finger. As she curled and uncurled her finger, he was instantly drawn to her.

"You're crazy!" He announced, wrapping his arms around her waist as she kept her arms spread wide. She laughed, nodding.

"I'm flying Shane!" She teased, leaning against him. He wrapped his arms more tightly, so she couldn't fall.

"Come on baby we ain't gonna live forever  
Let me show you all the things that we could do  
You know you wanna be together  
And I wanna spend the night with you  
Yeah, yeah with you, yeah, yeah  
Come with me tonight  
We could make the night last forever" She sang loudly, keeping her eyes focused ahead. Shane was laughing now, kissing her cheek.

"I love you, and I love listening to you sing, but seriously. We've gotta get off the roof." He laughed, pulling his cellphone out of his pocket to call Nate.

"Hey Nate. It's Shane...yeah, I know. ...But we're not exactly in the same bus as you. ...I mean, we;'re kinda on the roof...stop yelling! Just have him stop the bus!" Shane yelled over the wind and hung up. Mitchie turned around and kissed him roughly, throwing her arms around him.

"I want to spend my night with you." She whispered as the bus slowed to a stop and their friends came through the door, yelling at them. Shane twisted their fingers together as he climbed down the ladder, bringing Mitchie with him.

"I'll take you up on that." He stated as she jumped the last steps, landing in his arms. "But let's get on the bus first, okay?" Mitchie laughed and ran towards the bus door, rolling her eyes at Jason, Peggy and Nate.

"Race you!" She squealed, dancing her way down the bus hallway. Shane laughed, following her.

"See you in the morning guys." He yelled, closing the door. Nate closed his eyes and sat down on the couch.

"Another night with Sponge Bob. Nice job Nate." He muttered, switching the TV on.

* * *

**Yo! Start reviewing!! Seriously, the first person to review this chapter wins. So hop to it ladies!! I need at least 3 things you liked about this chapter to be considered eligible. Otherwise, I'll think you skipped the chapter down to just be the first to review. Good luck!**


	19. Chapter 19

_**This Is Me**_

_**PLEASE READ THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE OTHERWISE YOU WILL HAVE NO CLUE WHAT IS GOING ON!!**_

**Okay, let's just pretend that last chapter NEVER happened. To explain, I tore all the ligaments in my foot, and was on very (emphasis on very) heavy drugs. I actually don't even remember writing that chapter the drugs were so powerful. Basically, I didn't want any of that to happen and posting it was a big mistake, also the effect of the drugs. So I'll recap what happened in chapter 18, then go into the 'real' chapter 19. I'm so sorry for the mess-up; I won't be on those drugs again.**

"_I want to spend my night with you." She whispered as the bus slowed to a stop and their friends came through the door, yelling at them. Shane twisted their fingers together as he climbed down the ladder, bringing Mitchie with him._

"_I'll take you up on that." He stated as she jumped the last steps, landing in his arms. "But let's get on the bus first, okay?" Mitchie laughed and ran towards the bus door, rolling her eyes at Jason, Peggy and Nate._

"_Race you!" She squealed, dancing her way down the bus hallway. Shane laughed, following her. _

"_See you in the morning guys." He yelled, closing the door. Nate closed his eyes and sat down on the couch. _

"_Another night with Sponge Bob. Nice job Nate." He muttered, switching the TV on._

* * *

Shane woke up, his arms still holding Mitchie close to him. She shifted slightly, mumbling something in her sleep. "Good morning." He whispered, running his hand down her side, over her shirt. Despite what she had said, they didn't have sex last night, he thought in relief. He definitely wasn't ready to be a father.

She opened her eyes, smiling softly. "What are we doing today?" She questioned, not moving from his hold. He shrugged, kissing her forehead. "I don't feel like doing anything actually. I could lay here all day with you." She sighed blissfully, curling her fingers around his shirt.

"Doing nothing sounds perfect. We can just lay here and make out." Shane agreed, glaring at his cellphone as it rang. "It never shuts up." He muttered, grabbing it off the side table and picking it up.

"This is Shane." His voice was a monotone, letting them know he wasn't happy to be talking to them. "Oh, hey. Yeah, we're in town...why?" He paused, listening for a moment. His eyes lit up and a smile stretched across his face. "Sweet. Okay, I will meet you there, 45 minutes tops. Okay, great. See you soon."

Shane jumped out of bed, rummaging through his suitcase for clothes. Mitchie sat up, watching him. "What are you doing?" Mitchie asked, her voice very confused. Shane continued to search through his clothes. "Shane, what happened to laying in bed all day, making out?" She questioned, resting her chin on one hand.

"Change of plans. I've gotta run into town." He mumbled, falling over as he tried to shove both legs into his jeans at once. Mitchie frowned, still confused. She slid out of bed, bending over to grab the jeans she had stepped out of last night, folding them over her arm.

"Can I come with you?" She asked hesitantly, picking more clothes up from the ground. Shane shook his head quickly, pushing his arms through a fitted white shirt. "Why not?" Mitchie demanded, putting her hands on her hips. He was being too weird, she decided.

He turned, crossed the room and cupped one cheek, looking into her eyes. "It's not a big deal Mitchie." He promised. She shrugged out of his grasp, taking a step back from him.

"Then why can't I come with you?" She asked softly, sitting down on the bed. Shane remained standing, not looking at her. He knew if he looked into her eyes he'd give in. He also knew that she couldn't come with him. It wasn't something she needed to know about him; yet.

"I just need to do this alone, okay?" He snapped, turning on his heel. Tears welled up in Mitchie's eyes and she rose, hand stretched out for his arm.

"Shane, talk to me." She whispered, catching his elbow. He jerked free from her grasp and kept walking. Sliding through the door and continuing down the hall, he ignored her. "Shane!" She cried as he pushed a button, letting the tour bus doors snap open.

"I'll be back later." He muttered, the doors shutting behind him. Mitchie threw herself down onto the couch, brushing away a tear. Shane kept walking, trying to ignore the pained look she had given him. She couldn't come with him; she didn't need to get involved. Not yet.

* * *

Mitchie closed her book and glanced at the time on her phone. Shane had gone for 8 hours with no contact. "What is he doing?" She wondered, glancing around the room for something to do. She had just finished '_Breaking Dawn' _and now had nothing to occupy her time. She climbed off the bed, opening the door and looking out down the hall. There was no one out there. She shrugged, and grabbed her iPod.

Nate picked up his head. He had been trying to sleep for a while now, but conflicting images of Heather and Mitchie danced in his head. Heather was shy and quiet and delicate, and Nate knew he had really liked her. But Mitchie...Mitchie wasn't afraid to tell you how she felt; she was a fighter. She was Heather's foil, and Nate loved her. Shane wasn't aware, but the moment that Mitchie opened her mouth on that stage? Yeah, Nate had fallen for her too. But of course, this girl, this angel, on stage would be Shane's 'Mystery Girl,' and of course, Shane had already claimed her.

While Nate did care for Heather, his feelings for Mitchie had only grown stronger after her blonde cousin had departed. Mitchie had a few qualities that she shared with Heather; her laugh and the way she bit her lip. Nate knew he shouldn't compare, but Mitchie was definitely the better kisser between the two girls. They shared so much, but they were so different. If Heather was pale pink, Mitchie was screaming fuchsia.

The sound continued through the bus. "What is that?" He muttered, climbing off his bed and opening the door. His jaw dropped, and he stumbled backwards. Mitchie was in the living room, wearing the pair of blue spandex shorts and a sports bra, dancing to a slow tango. He stared, leaning against the doorway.

She didn't know he was watching her, so she kept moving, revolving her hips and raising her arms. Nate took a deep breath and walked towards her. He tapped her lightly on the shoulder. "Can I cut in?" He teased, though his eyes were serious. Mitchie screamed, spinning and clutching her heart.

"Nate you scared me!" She shrieked, tensing under his touch as he rested his hands on her waist, drawing her into his grasp. He shrugged, smiling softly as she relaxed, continuing to dance. "This is easier with a partner." She commented, her eyes sparkling up at him.

_Oh come and dance with me, my baby_

_Let's dance, do it, go crazy_

_The night is young and so are we_

_Let's make love and dance the night away_

Nate blushed at the lyrics. "What song is this?" He asked quietly, not looking away from her eyes. Mitchie blinked a few times; she had gotten lost in his eyes and touch.

"Oh, 'Dance With Me' by Debeleh Morgan." She shook her head, trying to focus. Nate nodded, bringing her closer. 

_What I really wanna do_

_Is just dance with you_

_And feel your body tight_

_Show ya how to do it right_

Nate brought Mitchie closer, letting their bodies press against each other. "This is how we should be, for a song like this." He whispered, brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes. She nodded silently, her hands linked at his neck. 

_I can show you every move_

_I know just what to do_

_Each step will feel so fine_

_One dance and you'll be mine_

_So baby when we hit the floor_

_You'll be asking for more_

_Let's make love and dance the night away_

_Oh come and dance with me, my baby_

_Let's dance, do it, go crazy_

_The night is young and so are we_

_Let's make love and dance the night away_

"Do you know where Shane is?" Mitchie asked, remembering her boyfriend. Nate did know actually, but he knew Shane wouldn't want Mitchie to know. It wasn't a happy story; one he knew Mitchie didn't want to be a part of. Instead of answering honestly, he shook his head. 

_Oh put your hand in mine_

_Promise I'll take my time_

_We'll dance from head to toe_

_I can dance fast or slow_

_Baby look into my eyes_

_Let the music hypnotize_

_Let our bodies synchronize_

_When we're dancing you'll be mine_

"Do you always dance this sensually with your boyfriend's band members?" Nate asked, noting how she rolled her hips against his, pressing her chest against him. She laughed softly, taking his hands from her waist and letting them drop down below her waist.

"Only for you. And only this song." She breathed, closing her eyes. Nate nodded, understanding. She wanted to forget Shane for this moment; to be honest he did too.

_So baby when we hit the floor_

_You'll be asking for more_

_Let's make love and dance the night away_

_Oh come and dance with me, my baby_

_Let's dance, do it, go crazy_

_The night is young and so are we_

_Let's make love and dance the night away_

_Oh when it comes to dancing_ _I know how to move_

_When it comes to passion_ _I know just what to do_

_I feel the music inside_

_I feel like I am alive_

_Pretend I was right_

_Let's make love_

"Too far?" Nate asked when she gasped. His hands had been gliding over the spandex shorts, and he had been bolder with Mitchie than any other girl. He knew Shane had told her that he, Nate, had already slept with girls, but that was a lie. She shook her head, eyes a shade darker than what Nate was used to.

"Just unexpected from you." She whispered, gripping his shoulder as his hands continued to wander. "You know as soon as Shane comes home..." She began, cut off as his mouth pressed against hers. She whimpered softly, clutching his face closer to hers.

"We're not gonna talk about Shane." Nate ordered, kissing her again. She nodded into the embrace, moaning his name loudly as he pressed against her, squeezing and gripping the spandex covered flesh, wishing Shane hadn't ever met this amazing girl. 

_Oh come and dance with me, my baby_

_Let's dance, do it, go crazy_

_The night is young and so are we_

_Let's make love and dance the night away _

_Oh come and dance_

_Let's dance_

_The night_

_Let's make love and dance the night away_

_Oh come and dance with me, my baby_

_Let's dance, do it, go crazy_

_The night is young and so are we_

_Let's make love and dance the night away_

Mitchie whimpered as he pulled away. "Why did you stop?" She whispered, putting a finger to her lips, feeling how swollen they were. Nate looked down, stepping back from her regretfully, wishing he didn't have to speak; but he owed her an explanation.

"The song ended."

* * *

**Short, I know. 6 pages. But I start school on Monday and tonight/tomorrow I'll be at a friend's house, so updates will be...scarce. This is just kind of a filler chapter, though the drama is heating up. Song: Dance With Me, Debeleh Morgan. Older Disney fans might remember this from the original "Radio Disney Jams Volume 3," before there was "Disneymania," or whatever it is now. ** **If you didn't understand my first author's note, please PM me, I would be more than happy to explain what's going on. Also! Who thinks they know what's up with Shane? I actually don't either. I have 3 options in my head, and I've yet to pick one. Hmmm. I might need to do that.** **Haha. Please tell me what you thought.**


	20. Chapter 20

_**This Is Me**_

_**EatSleepBreatheJonas**_

**So. You guys really liked the last chapter huh? I got about 30 reviews for it; declaring how much you guys are beginning to like Nitchie, which is pretty cool. I had people telling me_ my writing was the reason they started to like Nitchie._ Seriously?? I started crying. You have no idea how much that means to me. It was overwhelming to hear that. My friend thought I had passed out sitting up. Anyway. I love you all bunches. **

**This chapter is really...sad. Shane tells all, Nate loses what he's been waiting for, and Mitchie basically goes crazy. **

**The songs are "Sorry" and "Can't Have You" by the Jonas Brothers. A lot is revealed in this chapter, though I'm pretty sure it's going to work out. Unless, I have another bad day and take it out on this story. **

Mitchie slept fitfully, tossing and turning on the bed. She stretched out her hand, searching for the warmth of Shane's body. Her hand grazed over the cool sheets. "Shane?" She mumbled, searching for him in the bed. Nothing.

The door opened, and a shaft of light fell across the bed. She picked up her head, wincing at the sudden brightness. "Shane?" She asked again, and the person blocking the light nodded silently, stepping in and closing the door.

"Hey. Sorry I was out so long. I got...held up." Mitchie caught the hesitation in his voice and watched as he undressed, changing and sliding in next to her. She stiffened as he kissed her softly. "Mitchie, I'm sorry for being so short with you this morning."

"I know." And she did. Whatever was wrong, it was Shane's business and he'd tell her when he was ready. Not to say that she wasn't annoyed at him. She definitely was; but at least she understood. "I just don't know why you can't tell me." She muttered, frustration seeping into her voice. Shane shook his head, taking her hand.

"It's...it's not a good story Mitchie. I don't want you to know; at least, not yet. Eventually, you'll find out but right now it's just...I don't want you to think of me differently." He sighed, holding her tightly. Mitchie looked up at him through wet eyelashes.

"Shane, nothing you have done can make me look at you differently." She promised, running one hand down the side of his face, locking eyes with him. "I just want to know what's going on. Ever since we got back together; things aren't simple anymore. It's like we're constantly fighting to be together...and...I'm tired of it. I don't want to keep fighting for you Shane. I want to be with you, but at what cost?" Mitchie whispered, her eyes filling with tears again.

"Do you want me to tell you?" Shane snapped, not turning to face her. She shook her head, clenching the sheets under her before rising to face him.

"No Shane. I want you to want to tell me." She yelled, tears filling her eyes again. He spun on his heel, his eyes flashing angrily. "Damn it, Shane, I'm sick of this! I've given you so many chances, and I'm starting to think Nate is right. I deserve better from you. I love you, but I'm seriously doubting if you love me." She whispered brokenly, not moving towards him.

"I..." Shane started, looking down. "You're right. I'm going to tell you. You...might want to sit down." He told her, not meeting her eyes. She sat down carefully, watching him. "I...yesterday, when I went into the city" He trailed off.

"Shane." Mitchie whispered, reaching out for his hand. He jerked it away, shaking his head.

"I can't touch you, knowing what I'm about to tell you." She blinked, hurt, but nodded. "I went to visit my mom. She's at the hospital here. She was driving through town one nigh, and I was coming home from a party. I was drunk and wasn't paying attention and...I hit her. The doctors said it was a miracle she survived. When I hit her, her car was literally crushed between my car and a building. I watched her face Mitchie...I thought she was dead. My car tore through her. I was two inches from my mother's body." Shane whispered, the accident flashing through his eyes. Mitchie didn't know what to say. She reached out for his hand.

"Shane..." She breathed, hugging him tightly. He didn't move, save for one tear that rolled down his cheek. He didn't brush it away, instead letting fall where it landed on his shirt collar, leaving a small mark.

"I almost killed my mother. She hasn't shown any progress in 4 years. They...they want to end life support. I can't let them kill my mother Mitchie." Shane whispered, his voice breaking on 'kill.'

"I know Shane." She murmured soothingly, rubbing his hand. Her sympathy was exactly what he didn't need. He needed her to hate him like he hated himself. He shook his head, turning his resent-filled eyes on her.

"Do you? You didn't kill Aaron. You'll never understand." He spat, some part of him desperate for to hate him, and she recoiled, tears forming. She rose quickly, ignoring the voice in her head that was telling her to understand him.

Her voice shook as she spoke. "I can't...believe you would throw my brother's death in my face." She choked, fleeing the room. Shane fell backwards, sobbing openly now. He rolled over, burying his face in a pillow, trying to get away from everything. Mitchie banged on Jason's door.

* * *

"I...I would never..." Mitchie gasped, wiping away more tears. Peggy sat cross-legged next to her, holding a box of tissues. Jason sat on her other side, several pints of ice cream sitting, uneaten, next to him.

"I know." Peggy whispered, rubbing her back, trying to calm her down. "Go get Nate." She mouthed over Mitchie's head at Jason. He nodded.

"I'll be right back Mitchie. We all love you." He reassured her, rising and leaving the room. He returned a moment later with Nate on his heels. The curly haired boy sat at the foot of the bed, watching her.

"Mitchie?" He asked hesitation evident in his voice. She looked up, launching herself at him still crying. Nate caught her, only shifting slightly as she catapulted herself towards him. "I'm sorry." He whispered, running his hands through her hair. She looked up, and he felt his heart breaking.

"What are you sorry for?" She asked, resting her head on his shoulder. Nate shrugged, continuing to smooth her hair and trying to even out her breathing.

"I just felt like it needed to be said...in case it really did." He whispered again, rocking her back and forth. She nodded against his shoulder, noting he was wearing only an undershirt and jeans.

"You didn't do anything wrong...this should be Shane holding me like this." Mitchie stated, her voice breaking on his name. She slid out of Nate's hold and walked for the door. All three of her friends moved to stop her. She turned to smile weakly at them.

"I'll be okay. I'm not made of glass. He can't break me that easily." She promised, hugging Jason and Peggy, kissing Nate's cheek lightly. Jason and Peggy glanced at each other worriedly. For a girl who was about to go make up with her boyfriend, Mitchie was awfully...daring with Nate.

* * *

She paused outside their door. Soft guitar floated out and she couldn't bring herself to interrupt. She listened.

_"Broken hearts and last goodbyes  
Restless nights but lullabies  
Helps make this pain go away  
I realize I let you down  
Told you that I'd be around  
Building up the strength just to say" _

Mitchie blinked away tears, resting her hand on the doorknob. Taking a breath, she knew she needed to be in there,with him. She opened the door and slipped in, sitting next to him. He glanced up, startled, but kept playing. He met her eyes, both sets full of regret and pain.

_"I'm sorry  
For breaking all the promises that I wasn't around to keep.  
Its all me  
This time is the last time that I will ever beg you to stay.  
But your already on your way. _

_Filled with sorrow, filled with pain  
Knowing that I am to blame  
For leaving your heart out in the rain  
And I know your gonna walk away  
And leave me with the price to pay  
But before you go I wanted to say" _

Mitchie rested her head on his shoulder, crying openly. Shane too was blinking back tears, desperate to keep playing.

_"Yeah! _

_That I'm sorry  
For breaking all the promises that I wasn't around to keep  
Its all me  
This time is the last time that I will ever beg you to stay.  
But you're already on your way." _

She shook her head furiously, clutching his shoulder. "I'm not already leaving. There's time."

_"Can't make it alive on my own  
But if you have to go, then please girl  
Just leave me alone."_

He grabbed Mitchie's hands, dropping the guitar. Bringing both hands up to her face, he held her, singing still. She was crying, holding his hands that rested on her cheeks. Tears were falling down his face as well, but he kept singing. Her body shook with sobs.

_  
Cause I don't want to see you and me going our separate ways.  
I'm begging you to stay  
If it isn't too late_

Mitchie shook her head, her heart breaking. Shane hadn't picked up the guitar, but instead laid down next to her, holding her tightly, singing in her ear. She was curled against him, clutching his shirt and crying hysterically. She knew he wasn't holding back in this song; he meant every word.

_I'm sorry  
For breaking all the promises that I wasn't around to keep.  
Its all me  
This time is the last time that I will ever beg you to stay.  
But your already on your way. _

_But your already on your way..."_

"Can you ever forgive me?" He whispered, a tear tracking down his face. Mitchie nodded, her sobs shaking her body. Shane held her, rocking her back and forth, crying as well now. "Baby, I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry Mitchie. I don't...I don't even know what is wrong with me. I'm so sorry." He repeated, desperate for her to understand.

"I know you are." She breathed, her voice rough from crying. "And I'm sorry too." She whispered, resting her head on his shoulder as he continued to try and calm her down.

Shane pulled away to look in her eyes. "What are you sorry for?" He questioned, and Mitchie shuddered, every moment with Nate flashing before her eyes. "Mitchie, baby, what ever it is, I already forgive you. You know that."

She bit her lip, staring at a point on the wall behind him. "Nate and I kissed." She murmured, finally looking into his eyes. His body stiffened for a moment. "Shane, I'm so sorry." She pleaded, tears filling her eyes again. He blinked, focusing his eyes back on her.

"I can't understand why." He stated, not breaking eye contact. She shivered under his gaze but bit her lip, thinking of how she could explain it to him.

"I was scared and lonely. You were gone, and even you had been there, we would have been fighting. Nate was there, and he'd been offering me everything we used to have. I was weak, and just...lost myself." She whispered, pain tracing her voice.

Shane nodded. "So it's my fault." He didn't say it as an accusation; it was a statement. Mitchie froze, shaking her head frantically. "Yes it is Mitchie. I drove you away from me into Nate's arms." He stated, clenching his jaw.

"But it's not going to happen again." She mumbled, watching him. She didn't want to say the next part; but knew she had to say it. "I...I think we can make it through this."

"I believe you." Shane finally spoke, watching her too. "I want us to make it through this." He added, hesitation in his eyes. Mitchie nodded, eying him carefully. He laughed after a moment. "Why are we being so cautious? You're looking at me like Bambi's mother looks at the hunter." He stated, still laughing. Mitchie blinked, giggling softly. It felt awkward, since she had just been crying.

"I really am sorry about Nat—" Her apology was cut off by Shane's mouth on hers. He was different this time; slower, as though he were savouring everything about her. Carefully, she lowered herself backwards so she was laying down. Shane moved with her, running his hands down her hips, putting a leg on either side of her waist. Kissing her slowly, but meaningfully, Mitchie felt the world spinning. She pulled away for a moment. "You haven't kissed me like that in a while." She commented, fixing her hair and watching him with a small what-could-have-passed-for-a-smile.

"Then I've got a lot of time to make up, don't I?" He murmured, nuzzling her neck, grinning against her skin. She nodded slightly, happy she had shut the door behind her when she had come into the room.

* * *

Jason turned around from the stove where he was making a grilled cheese sandwich. Nate threw himself down on the chair opposite the TV. Jason rolled his eyes and continued to look at Nate.

"They're back together." Nate stated, facetious happiness in his voice. Jason nodded, not speaking. "How do I know this you ask?" Jason shook his head, but Nate kept going. "They're in there, making out. He sang some song to her, they cried, and now he's kissing her like she's the best thing that's ever happened to him." He groaned, leaning his head back.

"Well, she kinda is." Jason pointed out quietly, turning back to the pan. Nate rolled his eyes and took a few deep breaths. "She is Nate. And seriously, you've got to get over her. She really loves Shane. I know you don't wanna hear this, especially not from me, but suck it up. If she really wanted to be with you, she would have left Shane by now. She wouldn't need this long to 'decide' if she wanted you." Jason snapped, a rare moment of sense coming from him. Nate blinked at him.

"Whoa Jase. Harsh." Peggy commented, strolling into the room, a smile playing on her lips. She dropped onto the couch and looked at Nate. "He does have a point though." She stated, the smile dropping from her face.

"Oh my God, would both of you just shut up and let me sulk?"

* * *

Mitchie sat on the ground, her legs stretched out in front of her, with Shane's arms around her waist. He sat behind her, legs crossed in front of her. Nate sat in his chair, while Jason and Peggy laid together on the couch. Shane was kissing Mitchie's neck idly, while Nate messed with the remote batteries; doing anything to not watch them.

"What are we even watching?" Jason finally asked, causing everyone to stop and look at each other. Peggy glanced at the screen, and shrugged. Mitchie looked back at Shane, and forward again.

"I have no idea." She stated, laughing. "Let's find something we actually know slash like." Mitchie suggested sarcastically, and Peggy nodded, looking over at Nate.

"Begin the channel surfing Nate!" She ordered playfully. Nate stood up and tossed her the remote, and she caught it, surprised. "Or not..." She muttered, watching her friend carefully. He walked down the hall, shutting his door softly. Shane looked over at Peggy, who shrugged. "Maybe Mitchie should go talk to him." She suggested softly, and Shane nodded.

"I'm probably the last person he wants to talk to!" Mitchie protested, not moving. Shane kissed her neck again, before standing up and dragging her up with him. "Shane, I can't go talk to him." She pleaded, looking into his eyes.

"Yes you can. He needs you." Shane stated, giving her a gentle push towards Nate's door. "Just listen to him. I trust you baby." She took a few hesitant steps, glancing back over her shoulder. Shane smiled softly, encouraging her silently.

She knocked on Nate's door, opening it and stepping in. He was facing away from her, guitar in hand. "Nate?" She whispered, sitting down next to him. He didn't move. "Nate, I'm sorry." She told him, sliding so she was facing him.

He looked up and shrugged. "It doesn't matter." His voice was numb, and Mitchie flinched, reaching out and taking his hand in hers. "It really doesn't." He repeated, looking down.

"Yes it does. Nate, you're my friend. I care about you." He recoiled from her, taking his hand out of her grasp. "I know you don't think that's true right now, but I do care. I care a lot."

He laughed; a harsh dark sound. "You care about me." It was a statement, but also a question. She nodded sincerely. "Mitchie, if you cared about me, you wouldn't have pushed me into writing this." He didn't leave her a moment to question his words. He picked up the guitar he had pushed away and started to sing softly.

"_I don't wanna fall asleep  
Cause I don't know if I'll get up  
And I don't wanna cause a scene  
But I'm dyin' without your love  
Begging to hear your voice  
Tell me you love me too  
'Cause I'd rather just be alone  
If I know that I can't have you"_

He looked up at her, his eyes dark with emotion. Mitchie sat there, hand covering her mouth. "Nate..." She whispered, tears falling. "I'm not that girl. I know you want me to be, but I can't be. I can't replace Heather."

He laughed again, without humor. "I'm not looking to replace Heather. Heather was convenient; she was the replacement. She was replacing you." His voice was harsh but truthful, and Mitchie stood up, crying silently.

"Nate, you know I'll always care for you. But as long as my heart is beating, it's beating for Shane." She whispered, turning.

"Wait. There's more." He stated. Mitchie froze, hand pressed to the doorknob. "You don't have to stay, but it would be nice." Nate told her. She didn't move.

"_So tell me what we're fighting for  
Cause you know that truth means so much more  
Cause you would if you could, don't lie (don't lie)  
Cause I give everything that I've got left  
To show you I mean what I have said  
I know I was such a fool  
But I can't live without you"_

She shook her head again, opening the door and turning to face him. "I'm sorry." Her voice broke and she left. Nate shut his eyes, cursing to himself.

"Figures. Shane sings to her, and she falls into his arms. I sing to her, and she leaves crying. Shane: 1, Nate: 0."

* * *

Mitchie sat on the floor of their bedroom, sobbing. Shane was holding her, running his hands through her hair, rubbing her back, trying anything to calm her down. "Shane, I'm awful, I'm an awful person. Please, just let me go!" She screamed, trying to fight her way out of his grasp.

"Mitchie, I'm not letting you go, not even I have to knock you out and tie you up." He said almost playfully. She screamed again, fighting against his arms. "It's not going to work." He stated. She glared at him, tears streaking down her face.

"Shane, I destroyed him. I couldn't have been more of a bitch! Please, just let...me...go!" She shrieked, trying to stand up. He stood up with her, pressing her against the wall firmly. "Shane, stop it!" She pleaded, dropping her voice. "I want to die." She whispered.

"No. I'll stop when I know I'm hurting you. Am I hurting you?" It was true, he was holding her, but he wasn't hurting her, she realized. She shook her head, eye-make up tracking down her face. "You're not going to die Mitchie. Nate...he'll be fine." He promised.

"No he fucking won't!" She yelled, struggling against Shane's arms that had her pinned to the wall. "Shane, you didn't see that look in his eyes. I might as well have shot him!" Mitchie exclaimed, still struggling.

"Mitchie, if you don't stop and realize none of this is your fault, I may be forced to do something drastic." Shane warned, looking at her warily. She rolled her eyes and kept fighting against him. "Really, you're not gonna like it." He stated.

"Let...me...go!" She shrieked. "I want to die Shane! Is that so much to ask?" She screamed at him, and he took a deep breath, trying to find another alternative. He scooped her up, flinging her over his shoulder.

"SHANE GREY YOU PUT ME DOWN!" She screamed, hitting his back with her fists. He kicked open the door to the bathroom and turned on the shower. Steam started pouring out. "Don't you dare!" She shrieked, as he flipped her back onto her feet, and pushing her into the warm-almost hot water. She stood there, slowly getting drenched. "WHAT THE FUCK?" She yelled, grabbing his arm and, trying to pull herself out, ended up pulling him in after her.

Shane laughed, dropping down so he sat under the water cross-legged. He reached up with both hands, pulling Mitchie down on top of him. "Now hush." He ordered, turning so the water was beating down on her back. For the first time in a while, Mitchie was silent, leaning against him as the water poured down over them.

"Shane?" She whispered, and he looked at her. "You got my favorite jeans wet." She commented, closing her eyes and tilting her head back under the hot water. He laughed, kissing and biting on her neck lightly. "And if you leave a mark, I'll hurt you."

"Are you calm now?" He asked against her skin. She shrugged, tangling their hands together and laughing quietly.

"As calm as I can be for sitting on the floor of a shower fully dressed with my hot boyfriend sucking on my neck." She stated, shivering even though the water was hot. Shane chuckled, sliding his hands under her shirt and up her sides. "Don't push it." She teased, using her own hands to move his back down to her waist.

"I love you. I haven't said that in a while." He whispered, nipping at her earlobe. Mitchie moaned softly, squeezing his hand lightly.

"I love you too. I've missed hearing...and saying that." She admitted, taking a shaky breath. She turned so her legs were locked behind him. "Thank you." Mitchie whispered, leaning forward to hug him tightly.

"Thank you for what?" Shane asked, returning the hug. Mitchie pulled back, the water falling over her soothingly. She wiped her drenched bangs out of her eyes and looked at him seriously.

"For saving me." Her eyes sparkled up at him through her tears, as a crack of thunder warned them they should probably leave the shower. She sighed. "It's raining again."

"Have you ever noticed it rains when you're sad?" Shane whispered, turning off the water and helping her out of the shower. She shrugged, looking up at him.

"Lots of people are sad when it rains." She commented, wiping away another tear. Shane shook his head, wrapping her in a towel.

"Baby, it rains because you're sad."

* * *

**10 pages. Thoughts? I tried to make it longer than the last one. This chapter kind of reflects my mood right now, well the last half. The screaming and fighting and everything. I've gotta say it; when I wrote this, I was close to suicidal. You don't need to worry though. I think I'm okay now. **

**Please please please tell me what you thought. Oh! So I was wondering. Where is everyone from? I'm from SC, pretty close to Myrtle Beach. **

**Cecilia**

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	21. Chapter 21

_**This Is Me**_

**So _Allume a Pense_ brought up a crazy good point. Mitchie wasn't a crier in Camp Rock, and in this story, it seems all she's done is cry. Which, admittedly, she might have good reason for doing so, since this story has a crazy amount of drama. But as a person, she's not all "doom and gloom." She really is a happy person, and I'm not sure I've really stuck to that completely. So...here goes another try. Thanks Kat. (insert crazy big smile!) In this chapter, Shane finally gets defensive of Mitchie. His relationship with Nate is strained now. **

**Bear with me, this is IMPORTANT! ScarlettBlush, an amazing author on is hosting the FIRST Camp Rock FanFic Awards. You can vote in the categories set up ON HER PROFILE. VOTE FOR ME! Hahaha. But seriously. If you love me, show it. (another crazy big smile!)**

"Good morning." Shane mumbled happily, as Mitchie withdrew her lips from his, ending a long and tender kiss. "I like your version of an alarm clock." He commented, pulling her down for another embrace. She giggled, running her hands down his chest.

"You make me really happy." She whispered, propping herself up on her arms above her boyfriend. Shane smirked and linked his hands behind her, resting on the small of her back.

"We aim to please." He teased, and she arched one eyebrow, looking at him and trying not to laugh. He looked at her, smiling softly.

"We?" She questioned, dropping down so her head rested on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. She snuggled against him, smiling against his skin. He winced; she had no idea how much she was tempting him right now. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Mitchie whispered, picking up her head to look into his eyes.

"I love you." Shane stated, as though it were the only important thing in the world. Mitchie blinked, laughing softly, running her hands through his hair.

"I know that." She giggled, and Shane shook his head impatiently. She wasn't getting it. He sighed, frustration evident. "...Or not?" Mitchie asked, very confused now.

"No, Mitchie, I love you. I can't see my life without you. Like, I could marry you right now and have no regrets. I love you so much Mitchie...I just thought I'd tell you that." He stated, and Mitchie smiled.

"Kinko that." She laughed, and Shane faked a hurt expression. "I'm kidding. I love you too. I can't wait until we're married. So. We've got that settled. Now what?" She questioned, pushing herself off the bed and sliding on a pair of jeans.

Shane shrugged. "I kinda just want to chill. But I have a personal mission that needs to get accomplished before we can chill." Mitchie turned, interested.

"I heart personal missions." She said in a teasing voice. "How can I help?" She asked, jumping on the bed and straddling Shane's waist. He groaned, grabbing onto her hips and sitting up to kiss her longingly.

"You, me, and the bed." He ordered, his voice rasping slightly. Mitchie laughed and shook her head, kissing his cheek. "Fine, then the other plan. Get Nate a girlfriend." Mitchie froze. She wasn't sure she could help with this plan.

She knew she didn't have any feelings for Nate left, but even so, it would still be very awkward to try and set him up with other girls. "I, uhm, yeah okay." She stumbled, and Shane noticed. He smirked and, keeping his grip on her waist, flipped them.

"Good." He mumbled, brushing his lips over her mouth, nibbling on her lower lip. Mitchie smiled into the embrace, running her hands down his bare back. He mumbled something, sliding his hands under her cami, rubbing her stomach. "God you're amazing." He breathed, probing her mouth slowly. She didn't say anything, only held him.

As his hands moved up her body, his mouth moved down, settling on her neck. She threw her head back, whimpering in ecstasy as he sucked teasingly. Her hands clutched at his forearms, whispering unintelligibly. "Shane..." She moaned, wrapping her legs around his waist and bringing him closer, if that was even possible. He pulled back from her neck, satisfied with his branding, and reconnected their mouths.

Tongues dancing slowly, hands searching and bodies pressing together. She lived for these intimate moments. "I want you." Shane groaned, moving his mouth to just below her ear, running his tongue down from her earlobe to her jaw and back again, sucking teasingly. She moaned quietly, and he nipped gently, causing another exclamation of approval.

"We...can't." She scolded, a bit breathless. He shook his head, knowing she was right. "Isn't this enough?" Mitchie asked, watching him. He nodded, pressing their mouths together fervently. Her legs wrapped tightly, as her hands caressed his face, not letting him move.

Shane pressed against her, hard. "Do you feel what you do to me?" He grunted, bucking his hips against hers, and she nodded weakly, determined to not lose this battle of mouths. "You're so fucking gorgeous." He panted, his hands moving down the back of her thighs, squeezing lightly.

"Shane!" Mitchie whimpered, tearing her mouth from his as he pressed against her again. She never knew she had this kind of power over him. He didn't reply, but dropped his mouth to the top of her cami, starting a new mark. His hands crept up her shirt again, palms against the curve of her breast. "We need to stop." She whispered regretfully. He ignored her, sucking and biting. She took a slow breath, desperate to not scream or cry out, though her body was.

He pulled away, looking down. "I'm sorry." He mumbled, not meeting her eyes. She shifted awkwardly, adjusting her shirt and pulling her hair up into a high ponytail. "I just...I just got carried away." He explained, finally looking at her.

"It's not a big deal. I was just afraid we were going to get caught." She stated, standing up and looking in the mirror, examining the purplish marks that stood out against her skin. "You do a nice job." She laughed, and kissed his cheek lightly, throwing a shirt on. He sat there, staring at her blankly.

"You're...you're not mad?" Shane asked, dumbstruck. She shrugged and turned, crossing her arms and facing him. A smile played on her lips, and he wondered what she was thinking.

"I wasn't mad then, it would be stupid of me to be mad now. You were there too, you didn't hear me complaining. Unless, of course, your version of complaining is my crying out your name over and over again." She teased, kissing his cheek again and dancing out the door to make breakfast. He watched her go, grinning to himself.

"She is so amazing." He whispered, standing up painfully and going into the bathroom. He locked the door and turned on the water. Mitchie sat on the couch, waiting for the stove to heat up. She smirked, listening to the water run.

"Poor guy." She had thought it, but Nate had been the one to speak. She jumped, startled. "Sorry. Did I scare you?" He dropped into his seat, hands folded over his knee. She nodded, breathing quickly. "Sorry." He repeated, watching her carefully.

"Nate...I'm sorry for last night." She whispered, and he nodded. "It was awful of me, and I really am sorry." He nodded again, a bit uncomfortable. "But Shane and I were talking...we want to help you meet someone. Someone better for you." She offered.

He shrugged. "I'm more than willing to try and get over you. You've only hurt me—no don't apologize, you already have—and I just want to be happy again. I've accepted that I can't be happy with you, because you won't let me be. So. I'll go along with whatever scheme you've got." Mitchie nodded, slightly hurt, even though she knew everything he said was true.

"I don't know what the plan is. But...we're gonna figure something out. I really am sorry. And if I had met you first, chances are pretty good I'd be with you right now." She whispered. "I just...I just don't have the same feelings you do. I'm sorry." Nate shrugged. There were no more tears left.

"Well, at least I don't have to worry about the cold showers." He teased, the whole mood of the conversation changing. Mitchie laughed awkwardly. "Seriously, he's gonna die one day if you two don't get married and finally have sex. You're killing him." Nate laughed, though both teens knew he was serious.

"Well...I'm gonna make breakfast. What do you want?" He thought for a moment, running a hand through his unruly curls. She smiled at the movement, trying not to laugh.

* * *

Shane stumbled out of the bedroom, tugging at his jeans. Mitchie turned, hearing him fall into the wall. "Do you need some help?" She called, laughing softly. He nodded, and she sauntered over, zipping them up quickly.

"How did you—" Shane decided it was probably better if he didn't ask. "What's for breakfast, amazing girlfriend?" He asked, sitting down across from Nate, wincing at the glare his friend shot him. Mitchie plucked a piece of bacon off the pan and threw it to her boyfriend. He popped it into his mouth and sigh happily. "Have I mentioned I love you?" He teased, chewing blissfully. Nate frowned but went back to ignoring them.

* * *

"How about her?"

"She looks like a skank."

"Shane!" Mitchie hit him across the chest, watching the girl walk away. "She could be Nate's soul mate for all you know, and you just called her a skank!" Shane laughed and wrapped his arm around her.

"Oh well. They'll just have to meet some other way. Hey, what about her?" He pointed to a short blonde girl who was giggling loudly. Mitchie wrinkled her nose.

"No, she's too giggly. Nate needs someone...not that giggly." Nate frowned over at her through his dark glasses from where he sat on the edge of the fountain in the center of the mall.

"Don't I get a say in who I need?" He questioned, looking over Shane and into Mitchie's eyes. Mitchie paused but Shane was the first to speak.

"No." With that, he held Mitchie more tightly. She rolled her eyes and kissed his cheek softly. "Fine. Hair color preference?" He looked at Nate, who thought for a moment.

"Brown." Shane scoffed and picked up a lock of Mitchie's hair, waving it in front of Nate's eyes.

"I'm so surprised you picked brown." He snapped, and Mitchie batted his hands away from her hair. Nate held up his hands, as though surrendering. "Whatever." Shane muttered, looking for brown-haired girls. He tipped his own dark glasses down, watching a dark haired girl go by. "Her." He pointed and Mitchie, ready to shoot him down again, was surprised.

"She's perfect. Shane, go get her." She whispered, and Shane rose, following the girl carefully. She didn't notice when Shane tapped her on the shoulder. She didn't notice when he put both hands on her shoulders, turned her around and walked her back to where Mitchie and Nate sat. "She's kinda oblivious, isn't she?" Mitchie muttered. Nate shook his head, staring at the girl.

"No, she's just...lost in her thoughts." He clarified. The girl finally noticed Shane's presence and blinked a few times. Her gaze settled on Nate.

"Holy crap!" She shrieked, pushing her fist against her mouth to stifle her screams. Nate laughed awkwardly and held out his hand.

"I'm Nate." She shook his hand hesitantly, eyes darting back and forth while she nodded silently. "And you are..." He prodded, grinning. She blinked again.

"Oh, you can call me Nel." She whispered, feeling very star struck. He nodded while Mitchie squealed in the background.

"So Miss Nel, would you think I was moving too fast if I asked for your number?" He said smoothly. Shane's jaw dropped. He had never seen Nate this calm or collected. She blushed, looking away. He shifted nervously.

She looked back up and smirked. "I'll say no if you give me yours too. I'm not about to get Punk'd or something." She giggled, glancing around for hidden cameras. Nate nodded and quickly scrawled his number on the back of a napkin he had found. She pocketed it and pulled a cerulean blue Sharpie from her purse, pushing up Nate's sleeve and writing, in neat bubbly letters, 10 digits on his arm. She giggled and dropped the Sharpie back in her purse.

"I'd love to talk more, but my mom is picking me up soon. You'd better call." She teased, standing on tiptoe to kiss him lightly on the cheek. She turned on her heel and fairly danced across the mall to the front doors.

Mitchie patted him on the shoulder. "You just made a very happy fan girl. You'd better call." She told him, laughing. He nodded, watching her go. "Nate and Nel. So cute!" She sighed happily, taking Shane's hand and leading him to the doors.

"Mission accomplished Shane." She whispered as they boarded the bus.

"Not all of my missions. There's still that one with you, me and the bed." He mumbled in her ear, and she glared playfully.

"Mission impossible." She breathed, pecking him lightly on the mouth, giggling. He rolled his eyes and dragged her back to their room, pushing her onto the bed.

"Are you sure?" He mumbled, and she nodded, her eyes darkening slightly. "Because I think it would be really easy." He added, and she laughed softly.

"Oh really? I don't think you'd have any idea what to do if you really did get me in your bed." She teased, taking pleasure as Shane's eyes darkened; with lust or annoyance, she wasn't sure.

"We'll see about that." He pulled her into his arms, and she squirmed free, darting a few feet away. He pouted and she returned to him, kissing him slowly.

"I was just kidding Shane." She breathed into the embrace, wrapping her arms around him and letting him scoop her up and carry her back to the bedroom. "And for the record, I'm not going to sleep with you." She reminded him, tugging at his shirt. He shrugged, sucking on her ear.

"I just need to touch you." He growled, running his hands over her. She arched her back into him, biting her lip. She pushed him away after a moment, fixing her hair.

"I just need to sleep." She whispered, kicking off her jeans and sliding under the blankets. Shane stared at her in disbelief, before joining her. "You're really warm." She snuggled against him, resting her head in the crook of his shoulder. He groaned inwardly; she was doing it again.

"Baby, you know I love you, but you're all pressed up against me, and I'm getting really turned on right now." He murmured in her ear, and she laughed gently.

"I like to tease you." She pressed her hips against Shane's, stifling a moan as he pressed back, letting her feel him. He rested his hands just below her waist, drawing her in and against him. She closed her eyes, her own hands at his back. "Did you ever think your pants were too tight?" Mitchie asked after a moment of silence. Shane picked up his head to stare at her.

"Are you kidding?" She shook her head, laughing. He looked at her, very confused. "Why do you ask then?" She shrugged, rolling her hips against his sensually. He groaned, gripping her tightly and pushing her lower body against his desperately.

"Because if I keep taunting you, like I really want to, eventually, you're going to ruin those jeans. And your ass looks amazing in them, so I'd hate to destroy a pair of perfectly good bright red jeans." She mumbled, thrusting against him for emphasis. He laughed, trying to ignore what she was doing to him.

"You seriously need sleep." He mumbled, kissing her head and laying back down, still holding her tightly against him. "I love you."

* * *

**So it was a good day at school, kinda. Hopefully that shows through all the "almost-smut" I gave you. Again, if you didn't read the first author's note, ScarlettBlush is hosting the first Camp Rock FanFic Awards. VOTE FOR ME! Please? Haha. **

**Quick random question of the day. How long are you expecting this to be? Like, how long before you get totally sick of me? Because I can stop anytime. You just gotta tell me that you're bored with me. **


	22. Chapter 22

_**This Is Me**_

_**GO VOTE IN SCARLETTBLUSH'S PROFILE!**_

_**EatSleepBreatheJonas**_

**Happy late birthday Demi Lovato! Okay, anyway. So I was totally overwhelmed when I opened my inbox this morning; 41 reviews in less than 24 hours. You never cease to amaze me. Sooo...who voted so far? Haha. And a lot of you told me you'd never get bored of me, and I was like, AWWWE!! But you didn't say how long you expected this to be. I can keep writing as long as you're interested, so maybe that's what y'all meant? Hmmm. Okay, well here we go. **

**Oooh, this chapter features _The Dark Side Trio_ as Stacy, and _Persephone Lemonade _as Nel from the last chapter. This chapter focuses mainly on Nate and his new budding relationship with Nel, and a twist that Jason might "accidentally" throw in. Muahaha. I mean...(giggle)? Oh. And some very dramatic Smitchie. Heehee.  
**

His cell phone rang. Nate groaned and stretched his arm out, snapping it open. "'Ello?" He muttered, sitting up in bed. He hadn't bothered looking at the screen, so knowing his luck it would be some crazy fan girl who had found his number.

"Nate? Is it too early to call?" He stared at the phone, before putting it back to his ear. She didn't say anything; only waited for him to speak first.

"Nel?" He asked in shock. He hadn't expected her to really call. Sure, she was pretty and he liked her, but he had thought she would go for Shane, as usual. She nodded, before realizing he couldn't see her.

"Yup. Good morning!" She chirped, giggling brightly. He smiled, running a hand through his hair self-consciously. "So, are you still in town?" She wondered, looking at her nails casually.

"Yeah, we play a show tonight." He glanced at the calendar on his wall to confirm this. She paused for a minute, trying to decide if she should tell him.

"I know; I have tickets." She admitted, laughing. He laughed too and his mind instantly started churning.

"So...what if we hung out today before the show?" He proposed, and her nervous giggle was answer enough. "What do you want to do?" Nate asked, not really knowing what there was to do around wherever the hell they were.

"We could...uhmm...well it's a Saturday so I usually go horseback riding but—"

"Sounds perfect." Nate exclaimed, before realizing he had never ridden a horse before. He smacked his head and groaned. "Sorry, I just remembered I don't ride. Uhm..." She laughed covering her mouth so it was muffled.

"We can't go to the mall; you'll get swarmed. Do you just wanna get Shane and Mitchie and everybody and go someplace to eat?" Nel asked and Nate winced. This was the part where the girl admitted to loving Shane.

"Uh...sure. Where do you want to go?" His voice had lost its enthusiasm, and she noticed. When she asked him about it, he groaned softly. "It's just that...every other girl I've...dated has been cool at first, and slowly, they start to include Shane in our plans, until she falls for him, leaving me to just..." He trailed off, staring ahead.

Nel was quiet. "I don't like guys who straighten their hair." She said seriously, laughing. Nate chuckled, not speaking. "Don't worry, he's not my type." He sighed happily.

"Okay, so I'm gonna go get Mitchie and Shane up; just call me when you have a place picked out." She said goodbye and he hung up, pushing himself out of bed and walking down the hall. Mitchie was draped across his friend, her hands in his hair. Shane had her legs pulled up around his waist, his hands linked under her thighs.

"Nate?" Shane had opened his eyes and was looking at him curiously. "What are you doing here?" He asked quietly, not wanting to wake Mitchie up. Nate leaned against the door frame, surprising himself and not being bothered by their position.

"Nel and I want to do something, and she suggested bringing you two along; to make it less...awkward or something? So we were thinking out for breakfast...thoughts?" He proposed, watching as Mitchie stirred, kissing Shane's cheek idly. She turned, catching his eye.

She screamed, jerking the sheets up to her shoulders. Nate finally took in the fact she had been shirtless. "Sorry." He muttered, and she buried her face in Shane's chest, muttering curse words. Shane laughed and looked up at Nate, who held up his hands innocently. "I didn't see anything." He promised, laughing as well. A shoe flew threw the air, hitting the wall right beside his head.

"Damn. I missed." Mitchie muttered, shooting daggers at Nate with her eyes. He and Shane laughed even more uproariously, as another shoe hit his shoulder this time. "Better." Mitchie snapped, as Nate wiped the tears from his eyes, clutching the wall for support. Shane yelped; Mitchie had pinched him on the arm, glaring at him.

"I'm sorry baby. But you tried to hit Nate with your shoe. It was funny!" Shane protested, kissing her forehead. Her glare softened under his touch and Nate cleared his throat.

"Restaurant ideas?" He said pointedly, breaking the moment between his friends. He could honestly say he was glad he didn't feel the same about Mitchie anymore. Nel had helped him realize there were other girls out there; other girls who wouldn't hurt him. Whether Nel would be the girl for him, he had yet to figure out. But at least he wasn't hung up on Mitchie anymore.

Mitchie blinked. "I like IHOP." She stated, turning back to Shane, giggling as he kissed her nose. Nate closed his eyes; they were making him feel nauseous. "So are we going or what?" She asked, tearing her eyes from Shane's for a moment. Nate laughed awkwardly.

"Once you put some clothes on, yes. And once I call Nel back." He gave her a pointed glance, and then to her clothes that laid on the ground. "I don't even want to know, do I?" Shane shook his head, grinning. "Just promise you didn't sleep with him, Mitchie." Nate pleaded, knowing it would be the end of all of them if Shane finally got what he had wanted. She shook her head furiously, blushing. "Good." He left, leaving them to get ready.

* * *

Mitchie bounced down the steps of the bus, turning to grab Shane's hand. He trailed behind, grumbling about everything; being out of bed this early, not being in bed with his girlfriend, going somewhere public; going somewhere public with Nate, and anything else he could think of. Mitchie turned, pressing her lips to his simply. He fell silent as she pulled away. "Are you done?" She questioned softly, smiling. He nodded. "Thank you." She stated, giggling and twisting their fingers together. Nate flung open the smaller car's door; they had decided the limo was a bit much for breakfast.

"We're meeting her there." Nate explained, letting Shane shut the door after he climbed in. The car lurched forward, throwing the three back into their seats. "Thank goodness for seat belts." He muttered, giving his a thankful tug. Mitchie and Shane didn't notice; he had started whining again, requiring extensive shutting up from Mitchie.

The car pulled up a few moments later; the sudden braking causing Shane's mouth to tear from hers. She whimpered as Nate pulled her out of the car. "You can do that later. First get some food in you." He laughed, tugging Shane out after her. They both fixed their hair, Shane tucking his up in a hat, and Mitchie twisting it up into a bun. Nate slipped on his own hat and a pair of lens-less glasses. "Do we look like ourselves?" He asked, turning to look in the car's shiny window.

Mitchie shook her head, applying darker lipstick. "We probably should have done this at home," she commented, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Nate looked at her, wondering if she was serious.

"We could've, except you were, er...orally attached for a while." He stated, laughing awkwardly. Putting the final touches on his disguise of sorts, he walked towards the door, leaving Shane and Mitchie to blush slightly.

* * *

Nate smiled at Nel, who looked down and blushed. "Why do you always blush when I look at you?" He murmured, dropping his voice so Shane and Mitchie wouldn't hear him. She looked back up, twirling her fork in her hand, unsure of how to answer.

"I'm not sure. I can't believe I'm really here with you, that's all." She smiled softly, stabbing a piece of chocolate chip pancake and placing it in her mouth, chewing delicately. Nate shrugged, taking her other hand under the table and squeezing slightly.

Mitchie laughed as Shane tried to feed her; only succeeding in getting berry pancake on her chin. She wiped at her mouth with her napkin, laughing hysterically. He stared at her, entranced by the way her eyes lit up when she laughed. She pressed her napkin to her mouth, attempting to calm down. "Why are you staring?" She finally asked, wiping away a tear from laughing so hard. He opened and closed his mouth, trying to find the words.

"It scares me how much I'm in love with you, that's all." He whispered, trying again and this time succeeding in getting the pancake to her mouth. She blushed faintly, swallowing and taking a sip of water. "But I have those feelings all the time, so I don't know why this time is any different." He added, very confused. She shrugged, watching him over her glass. "Maybe I'm just crazy." Shane sighed, taking a bite of waffle.

Mitchie laughed. "We already knew you were crazy. I mean, you're having waffles at the International House of Pancakes." She teased, stressing the word 'pancakes.' He laughed, raising his fork in agreement. "But seriously, I don't what to tell you. I mean, I feel exactly the same way so..." She trailed off, taking another bite of pancake.

His eyes lit up. "Are you sure you feel the same way?" He asked seriously, and she nodded; it was her turn to be confused. "Are you positive?" He repeated, taking her hands in his. She nodded again, tilting her head to the side.

"Shane, what is this all about?" Mitchie questioned, watching him carefully. He shrugged, though his eyes said differently. "Because you're kinda freaking me out, to be honest." She stated, and he paused for a second.

"Do you love me?" Shane asked, looking into her eyes, and she didn't even hesitate.

"Yes."

"Would you do anything for me?" He questioned, his tone a bit faster, and she looked at him seriously before answering just as quickly.

"Yes."

"Will you marry me?" His voice was even more sped up and she stared at him for a split second.

"Yes." The word fell out of her mouth before she could stop it; but strangely, she didn't regret it.

* * *

Jason woke up to Peggy shaking him. "Today's the day!" She squealed, grabbing an envelope that none of the others had noticed. He opened his eyes slowly, staring at the envelope.

"Is that..." He trailed off as his girlfriend nodded enthusiastically. He grinned. "The name that's going to save Nate from Mitchie." He sighed happily, reaching for it. He tore it open, reading the name. "Stacy Elisha Roberts, you're going to save Nate from himself." He muttered, grabbing his phone and dialing the number at the bottom of the sheet.

"This is Stace." A bubbly voice filled his ear and Jason knew this was going to work. This girl sounded perfect for Nate.

"Stacy? This is Jason, from Connect 3. I'm just calling to let you know you've won the contest." There was silence for a moment.

"Jason? Can you hang on for just a sec?" She asked, putting the phone down, turning to her best friend and screaming quickly, grabbing the phone again. "Oh my goodness." She sighed happily, "I can't tell you how excited I am." She whispered, and Jason laughed.

"Well, we're gonna be stopping by your house soon, to drop off your tickets to tonight's show and your backstage pass. Just thought we'd let you know." There was another quiet shriek and Jason laughed again. "We'll see you soon Stacy." He hung up, turning to Peggy with a grin.

"She sounds good." Peggy commented, smiling widely. Jason nodded, standing up to get dressed. "I'll give the directions. They're on the paper right?" He nodded again, handing her the sheet.

"This is going to be perfect." He exclaimed, pulling on a purple shirt and fixing his hair. "I only hope Nate's as excited as we are."

* * *

"YOU DID WHAT?" Nate yelled, and the glasses in the cupboards above the oven rattled. He stared at Jason and Peggy; completely horrified.

The couple sat on the couch, cowering under Nate's wrath. "We didn't know you had a new girlfriend! We thought we were helping!" Jason explained, wincing as Nate's eyes flashed. "And you can't back out; we've already dropped everything off at her house. Sorry man."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" He snapped, glaring at them through his fingers. "What am I supposed to do about Nel? How do you think she's going to feel about me going to a 'personal, private, meet-and-greet'; with a teenage girl no less?" He questioned, pacing now.

Mitchie and Shane sat on the chair, staring at each other, tuning the fight out. "I love you." She whispered, running her hands through his hair. Shane smiled, returning the sentiment, kissing her softly.

"Just make the best of it. Maybe this girl Stacy will be better for you than Nel." Peggy suggested; and she immediately regretted it. Nate whirled on her.

"Are you serious? You think some girl you picked through a contest is going to be better for me than a girl I met myself?" His voice rose on each word, until he was screaming at them. Peggy rolled her eyes and stood up, nose to nose with him.

"You need to shut the hell up and stop screaming at us for trying to help. It's not our fault it went wrong; it's not yours either. Making the best of the situation is all we can do now." She hissed, turning on her heel and slamming the bedroom door. Jason and Nate stared at each other, and Nate's face softened.

"She has a point." He groaned, dropping next to his friend and holding his head in his hands. "How am I going to explain this to Nel?" He muttered, and Jason shrugged helpfully.

* * *

"Okay." Nel was fairly calm. Nate stared at her. "Why are you staring at me?" She questioned, absent-absentmindedly fixing her hair.

"You're supposed to be screaming and forbidding me from meeting this girl...alone...in private...in a room...with no one else...?" Nate explained, watching her carefully. "That's what most girls would do."

Nel grinned, braiding her hair now. "I'm not most girls. I don't care; she's a fan and she won. It's your job. And it's not like you're gonna fall in love with her from one meet-and-greet." She pointed out, running a finger around her mouth, fixing her lip gloss. Nate smiled.

"No, you're definitely not most girls." He agreed, kissing her cheek softly before heading on stage. He regretted waiting that long to tell her; now that he knew she was going to be so calm about it.

Nel slumped in her seat backstage. This was exactly what she was afraid of happening.

* * *

Nate sat impatiently, drumming against the table; waiting for this Stacy girl to show up. It had been a sold out show, so she was probably getting searched and confirmed she was who she really was. Goodness, he hoped it wasn't some crazy stalker girl. Knowing his luck, it probably would be. The door opened and he stood up.

She came in hesitantly, eyes darting around nervously. His breath caught in his throat. She wasn't pale, but she wasn't very tan either. Her wavy brown hair sparkled under the lights, showing the red and caramel highlights perfectly. She was dressed simply, but the simply sparkled all over. The jeans were dark, but the white shirt was covered in clear? white? Nate didn't know, sparkles. The tie was red, and matched her shoes; and her lips he noticed. She smiled, showing even white teeth.

"Nate." She breathed, holding her hand out for him to take. He grasped it, noting her long graceful fingers. "I'm so excited to be here." She added, hugging him tentatively. He chuckled.

"My body guard isn't going to burst in, you don't have to hug me like I'm made out of glass." To prove his point, he wrapped his arms around her tightly, and she returned the hug, smiling. He pulled back, glancing over her. "Holy crap, how do you wear such high shoes?" He asked, laughing. She glanced down at her feet.

"Oh, I don't know. I just love them." She giggled and Nate felt his heart rate increase. "So, what are we going to do?" Stacy asked, smiling brightly.

"I don't know. We could just talk?" This was exactly what he was afraid of, the girl being absolutely amazing. _ 'Damn you Jason.' _He thought, turning back to her musical voice. She was already chattering a mile a minute and he had to listen carefully to hear the individual words she had strung together.

She paused 45 minutes into their conversation. "I'm sorry. I talk really fast." She said as an apology and he laughed, shrugging it off.

"It's fine; I'm kinda tired, but I like hearing your voice." The words came out before he could stop them, but when she blushed faintly, he smiled. "You're really pretty." He commented, leaning forward. She giggled, rolling her eyes.

"You have to say that." They both knew he didn't. That wasn't anywhere in the Rules of Contest sheet she had signed; she knew that much.

"No, really. Even the sparkles; they're growing on me." He teased, standing up as the door opened. Jason was poking his head through the door.

"They sent me to come get you. It's almost time to roll." He explained and Stacy stood too. Jason backed out of the room, grinning. Nate looked like he wasn't mad anymore, he thought, cheering inwardly.

"It was really awesome to meet you." Stacy exclaimed, hugging him again. He nodded, fighting the feelings he got when she hugged him.

_'Nel, Nel, Nel. Your girlfriend. Keep thinking about Nel.' _He thought furiously, holding Stacy still. She laughed, pulling out of his arms.

"So are we done?" She wondered aloud, and Nate shrugged, holding up a Sharpie.

"I didn't sign anything for you. You know that's what all your friends are going to want." He teased, bringing back part of their long conversation. She laughed and held out her arm, gesturing for him to sign. "What do you want me to write?" He asked, looking up into her eyes. She looked back.

"Anything you want." She whispered, suddenly very nervous, knowing it wouldn't show. She could control herself when she needed to do so. He pressed the Sharpie to her arm, writing slowly and deliberately.

He finished 5 minutes later, hugging her again. "Hope to hear from you soon." With that, he turned and walked out the door. She looked down at her arm, confused. _'It was great to meet you. You seem like a very special girl; it would be any guy's dream to get to know you even more. Can I make my dream come true? Nate, Connect 3.' _She grinned; his number was printed neatly underneath this message.

* * *

Nate sat in his chair, looking completely defeated. Peggy sat at the table, grinning maniacally. "I told you so." She sang, giggling to herself. He glared up at her.

"I Told You So has a brother, named Shut The Hell Up Peggy." He groaned, and she laughed, standing up and going to her room. She paused outside the door, looking at him.

"You got that from _Breaking Dawn_, didn't you?" She teased, shutting her door. Nate closed his eyes. He was in deep water, and there was no one to throw him the green noodle he had always used at home. No one to save him. He had to do this one on his own.

* * *

**Hmm. Thoughts? Smitchie's engaged, Nate's considering cheating on Nel, or at least, confused about his relationship. Maybe he's rushed into things with Nel? Hmm. I don't know. Well, yes I do actually, but I can't tell you. Go vote; ScarlettBlush's profile. You have 5 more days. I love you like Shane loves Mitchie. (Which is...a lot. Duh.)**


	23. Chapter 23

_**This Is Me**_

_**EatSleepBreatheJonas**_

**So basically, I couldn't resist. Here you go. I should be studying for my French test, but whatever. I know, er, most of it. Haha. Yay for knowing. Okay. Here we go, finally. I'm almost positive there will be heavy smut. I'll warn you, and then put another thing when it's over if you'd prefer to not read it. **

Mitchie and Shane sat on the bed, both looking at her hand; most specifically, her left hand that now held a simple white gold band with three diamonds. "We're dead." She stated in a monotone. Shane nodded, not taking his eyes off her hand.

"Very dead." He echoed, his voice totally numb. She nodded again, tilting her head to the side and watching her ring sparkle. "It looks really good on you." He whispered from behind her, resting his head on her shoulder, not gazing away from her hand.

"Hopefully it'll still sparkle when they bury us." She moaned, falling back against him. "We're so dead. My dad is going to kill you. Then my mom will kill me. Then my dad will kill her for killing me; and then he'll kill himself for killing her." She muttered, a tad bit dramatically. Shane didn't laugh; he knew she was serious.

"Maybe we shouldn't tell them." Shane suggested lowly, kissing her neck. Mitchie shook her head, knowing they had to tell her parents.

"We have to tell them. Otherwise they'll double kill us."

Shane looked at her, slightly amused. "Can they double kill us?" He wondered, and she laughed without humor, turning to look into his eyes.

"My daddy will find a way." She promised, rolling her eyes. He laughed, kissing her slowly, pulling her into his arms. She laced her fingers behind his neck, opening her mouth lazily to his tongue. This was her second favorite way to kiss Shane; slowly and lazily, just kissing for the heck of it. It was a close second to the frenzied, rough and heated embraces he bestowed upon her when he was particularly frustrated.

His hands tugged at her shirt, pulling it off teasingly slowly. She groaned and pulled it off herself, gasping as he lowered his mouth to her stomach, sucking gently. She clutched the blanket under her, moaning his name. "I love listening to you say my name." He breathed against her skin, causing her to tense.

She slid her hands down her body, unfastening her jeans and shedding them quickly, curving her body to match his. He pressed her against him; she reached over him and pulled his shirt off, tossing it on the ground. His hands ran up her thighs, kissing her again, a bit more roughly this time. She loved how they fitted together perfectly. Shane held her face loosely, exploring her mouth like it was the first time he had ever tasted her. There was something in the way he pressed against her, subconsciously bucking his hips against hers, that made her want this even more. "God, Shane, don't stop." She whined, crushing her mouth to his again. He chuckled into the embrace, sliding his hands up to her chest, rubbing gently. She let out a string of curse words, wrapping a leg around his waist.

"I'm not planning on stopping." He promised, his voice low as he dipped his head down to capture her breast through the silky fabric, sucking teasingly. She moaned, grinding against him impatiently. His other hand slid under the bra, teasing her.

"I love you." Mitchie gasped, throwing her head back as he snapped the clasp, reattaching his mouth. She moaned again, louder this time. He nipped gently; she cried out, tangling her fingers in his hair. "Shane..." She breathed, almost crying she wanted this so badly.

"Not until we're married." He surprised himself; being the one to remember their rules. She whimpered, dragging his mouth up to hers, kissing him longingly. He put a leg on either side, and she moaned happily as he sank down on top of her. Her hands linked at the back of his neck, not letting him move. Her whole body was crying out for him; it amazed her that she hadn't broken down yet.

She paused, taking in several breaths. She smiled at her boyfriend—fiancé—she corrected herself, and blew her bangs out of her eyes. "You wore looser jeans." She teased; watching him flush. "I love you in tight pants, but these are much more, er, convenient." She whispered, running her hands over his bare back. He tensed, and she felt his back ripple. "Oh my goodness, I love you." Mitchie breathed, kissing him slowly, as though pacing herself down after running a marathon, reaching across him for his dress shirt. Sliding her arms through it, she buttoned it quickly and slid her legs under the blanket, curled on her side. Shane laid down beside her, holding her close.

"I love you too." He mumbled into her hair, closing his eyes. It was one of his favorite things about their relationship; how they could go from close to sex to just laying there, cuddling. "And I don't care when we get married; I just love knowing you said yes." He looked down and laughed softly. She was already asleep. "I guess I wore you out." Shane teased, sighing happily as her head fell forward on his shoulder, her breathing slow and steady.

* * *

Mitchie woke up, smiling to herself. The light hit her ring and her smile widened. She pressed her lips to Shane's collar bone, trying to wake him. He didn't stir; she bit down gently, and his eyes opened. "Hey baby." He muttered, tightening his grip on her waist. She pushed herself up so she was level with him. "So I was thinking..." He started and Mitchie laughed.

"That's a first." Shane rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out at her. "Sorry. You were saying?" She prompted, snuggling up against him. He laughed quietly, running his hands down and over her hips.

"I was trying to figure out how long of an engagement we want." He whispered, laying his head on the pillow. Mitchie blinked, thinking for a few moments. Her arms draped over his neck, bringing him down for a slow embrace.

"I don't care how long we're engaged. I'd like to be 18 when we get married though." She bit her lip. Shane thought for a moment, closing his eyes. He finally looked down at her.

"You want to be engaged for 2 years?" He didn't sound angry she noted, so she looked up, smiling softly.

"A year and two weeks." She corrected, watching his face. "My birthday's in two weeks." He blinked, staring at her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked, slightly hurt. She shrugged, not meeting his eyes. "Mitchie, baby, why didn't you tell me?" He repeated, raising her chin to meet her eyes.

"I didn't want to remember. It'll be 4 months since Aaron died." She whispered, burying her face in his chest. He stiffened, holding her tightly. "I don't know. I'm being stupid." She added, her voice muffled by Shane's shirt. He shook his head, kissing the top of her head.

"No you're not. Do you want to do something, or keep it small?" He asked, tucking her head under his chin. She shrugged, not speaking. "Because we can throw a huge party and invite every single famous person you've ever wanted to meet...or we can just sort of chill on the bus. Or, we could do something in between." He suggested.

"Let's do something in between. Closer to just chilling, but in between. Then we can come back here and hang out. Nate can bring Nel and we can all hang out and watch a movie or something." Mitchie exclaimed happily. She had a feeling even with her brother's death this would still be one of her best birthdays ever.

"Can do. Do we want to go out to dinner? We can fly your parents out here and tell them then." Shane turned the conversation back to their engagement. Mitchie winced, nodding. "I know you're scared baby, but I don't think they'll freak once we explain." He soothed, closing his eyes.

"I'm gonna go sit on the roof." She muttered, attempting to crawl out of his arms. He latched an arm around her waist, pulling her back against him.

"Nuh uh. One, the bus is actively driving to the hotel. Two, you're not leaving me in bed by myself." He whined, kissing her neck. She laughed, pressing herself back against him. His hands rested on her stomach, pulling her close. "I love you." He mumbled, biting down. She gasped, whimpering happily.

"I love you too."

* * *

Mr. Torres glared suspiciously at Shane near the end of dinner, not liking how that boy had his hand resting on his daughter's thigh. "Honey, chill." Connie leaned over to whisper. squeezing his hand. She smiled at Mitchie; her baby was finally 17.

"Mom, Daddy, Shane and I have to tell you something." She started. Shane paled, glancing between his girlfriend and her father, who had a very good grip on his steak knife. Connie smiled brightly, her eyes darting back and forth between Mitchie and Shane.

"Go ahead." She prompted, trying to control her excitement. Her husband muttered something, and she shushed him. "We're ready to hear whatever it is." She added. All eyes were on Shane and Mitchie.

Mitchie looked at Shane who nodded. "Shane asked me to marry him." She announced; all jaws dropped. "And I said yes." She added defensively. Connie and the girls screamed excitedly, while Jason and Nate blinked slowly; Mr. Torres had fainted.

Connie turned to see her husband's reaction and glanced down. She laughed and dropped down beside him. "Wake up honey. They're engaged!" She wiped away a tear; the first time she had met Shane, she knew this day was coming. He opened his eyes slowly.

"I'm gonna kill that kid." He muttered, standing up and was pushed into his seat by Connie. She sent him a pointed glare, then looked over at her daughter, who was visibly shaking from her nerves. "Mitchie, are you sure this is what you want? You're only seventeen." He was trying to be rational; trying to get her to see his side. She laughed.

"Daddy, we're going to wait until I'm eighteen, or older. We want a long engagement." She explained, and her father relaxed. Her mom smiled happily. "Even though, given the chance, I would totally marry him tonight." Mitchie added, resting her head on Shane's shoulder.

Shane still hadn't spoken. He cleared his throat. "So just to be sure Mr. Torres, you're not going to kill me?" He questioned apprehensively. Mitchie's father looked at him sadly.

"No, I'm not going to kill you for taking my daughter away from me. I should, but I'm not going to. However, if she gets pregnant, that's a whole different story." He added threateningly. Shane and Mitchie blushed, looking down. The family rose from the table, leaving the restaurant. He pulled Shane aside. "If you break my daughter's heart, I'll break you. Welcome to the family." He awkwardly half-hugged Shane, who paled again.

He quickly recovered. "I have absolutely no intentions of breaking your daughter's heart." He promised, wrapping an arm around Mitchie's waist and pulling her against him. "I love her too much." He mumbled, kissing her cheek. Mitchie smiled while her father frowned.

"We have to get back to the hotel Connie." He stated, taking his wife's hand. They hugged the teenagers goodbye and turned for the car. Mitchie collapsed against Shane in relief.

"That went so much better than I expected." She sighed, hugging him tightly. Shane looked down at her, slightly amused.

"How did it go better?" He asked, a smile crossing her face. Mitchie pretended to think for a moment, before her eyes lit up.

"Well, neither of us are dead, which is always a plus." She teased, standing on her toes to kiss him slowly. He didn't even hesitate to kiss her back; running his hands down her back and holding her close. She opened her mouth to his, moaning quietly as he sucked gently at her tongue. He had her pressed against the limo's side; one leg hitched around his waist and both arms flung around his neck. The driver honked the horn, startling them.

"We should probably get in the car." Shane panted, resting his forehead against hers. She laughed, opening the door and climbing in. Shane followed, turning to her. Nate, Nel, Jason and Peggy all scooted to the far side, instantly striking up a conversation, trying to ignore Shane and Mitchie, who laid sprawled across the back seat, making out fervently. Nel shifted awkwardly; how could they just ignore them when they were all over each other? She didn't understand how her new friends could do it.

Shane's hands slid up her dress; pulling out as she slapped them away. "Not here." She breathed, and he groaned, dropping his mouth to her neck, biting gently, alternating between sucking and nipping. She threw her head back, breathing heavily. The limo pulled to a stop, and Shane stood up, pulling her out and into the bus. Jason laughed, throwing himself down on the couch.

"I don't think the birthday girl will be joining us for the movie." He said knowingly, ignoring the dirty looks Mitchie threw him. Shane chuckled and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her back to their bedroom. Peggy and the others joined Jason in the living room, turning the volume up. "Sponge Bob is on!" Nel cried happily and Nate turned to stare at her. In that moment, he knew she was his meant-to-be.

* * *

**(Oh Snap It's Smut Time)**

Shane pushed her onto the bed, climbing up to straddle her. She pulled him down to press their mouths together. His hands rubbed under her dress, pulling it over her head and letting it drop onto the floor. He stood up for a moment, crossing to the door to make sure it was locked. Turning back, he tugged off his tie, letting it fall. He unclasped his belt, dropping it to the ground. Slowly, he unbuttoned his shirt, watching Mitchie carefully. She was watching him too, a smirk playing on her lips. He slid his arms out of the shirt, not caring as it crumbled under his feet. She impatiently grabbed his arm and pulled her back on top of her.

She shifted under him, feeling how aroused he was. "Are we doing this tonight?" She asked hesitantly, looking up into his dark eyes. He shook the hair out of his vision, staring at her.

"Only if you want to. I plan on marrying you anyway, so now it's up to you to decide if we want to just have our honeymoon come early." He mumbled, his hot breath tickling her neck. She bit her lip. She knew she wanted him so much right now; but she also knew she should probably wait until they were married.

"Let's see where tonight takes us." Mitchie whispered, pressing her mouth to his with increasing desire. He held her hips against his, groaning as she shifted again. Her strapless bra slid down slightly, and he felt any self control left ebbing away. She moaned his name, and he pulled away, needing to see her.

Her hair was pulled into a high, neat ponytail; she must have done that while he locked the door; and her face was was flushed with desire. "Remember that first afternoon on the bus?" He murmured, crawling back towards her. She nodded, her eyes flashing with the memory. He laughed lowly, unclasping her bra and sliding her underwear down her legs, tossing them to the side. "This is going to be so much better." He promised, kissing her intrusively. She moaned in anticipation, her eyes begging him to get started. His hands explored her body, places he had never been before, only seen through her underwear in the shower.

Her head tossed from side to side, hands clutching the sheets as he sucked greedily at her breast. His hands slid under her back, pressing her against him. "I'm going to kiss your entire body from head to toe." He whispered, his voice rasping slightly. Her eyes widened as he pressed a kiss to her mouth; simple and sweet. He moved down, biting at her pulse point on her neck. Carefully, he ran his tongue over the curve of her breast, going back up to her neck. She whined impatiently, shifting in anticipation. He laughed and kissed down the valley of her breasts, down to her stomach, tracing where her underwear should have been. Mitchie cried out, biting her lip.

He slid down her body, spreading her legs slightly. "Are you sure you want this?" He asked carefully, and she nodded without hesitation. He grinned and kissed the inside of her thigh, as close as he could get without going crazy. Another soft moan came from her. His jeans were unbearably tight, but he knew he could last a bit longer if it meant her happiness. He continued to kiss the spot, sucking and biting until he knew she'd be marked. "I don't want to hurt you." Shane mumbled, pulling away for a moment.

"Damn it Shane, just do it!" Mitchie screamed in frustration, and he blinked. "I don't care if you don't want to hurt me, just do something!" She pleaded as he slid back up to lock eyes with her. "Please baby; I'm going crazy. I need you to do something before I have to go sell my body just to get this done." She whispered, only half kidding, and those words pushed him over.

He shook his head, pushing her up above him and pressing his face in between her legs once more. He knew once he tasted her, he wouldn't be able to stop; that scared him. Her frustrated groans reminded him of where he was. Softly, he moved back up, kissing her slowly. He pulled away and before she could catch her breath, his hand was working inside her.

She cried out, her nails digging into his back. He watched her eyes fall closed. "Keep your eyes open; I want you to watch me." He ordered, his tone different from anything she had ever heard in the months they had been together. She fought the urge to close her eyes, desperate to please him. Her body shook slightly.

"I'm...so...close!" Mitchie breathed, her bangs falling out of their clip and laying against her forehead. Shane withdrew his fingers and filled their absence with his mouth. She screamed loudly, grabbing a pillow to muffle her cries. He pressed down on her hips, holding her in place. "Oh my God Shane!" She shrieked, desperately trying to buck her hips against his tongue. She dropped the pillow, her hands pressing his head closer. "Yes, oh please Shane, oh please..." Her words strung together into one long drawn out scream as he brought her to her climax. Shane sucked gently, still holding her down. He pulled away and laughed softly; she was still shaking.

He wrapped her in his arms from behind, resting his head on her bare shoulder. She took several deep breaths, trying to calm down. She turned in his arms, pressing against him. "You are amazing." Mitchie whispered, kissing his cheek. He smiled, brushing her forehead with his lips.

**(Sorry, that's it. End Smut)**

"I try." He shrugged, and she crawled out of his hold, scooping his shirt off the ground and pulling it on. "You look so damn good in my clothes." He groaned as she climbed back into bed. She giggled quietly, wrapping her arms around him and letting out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

"I can't even tell you how happy I am, laying here with you." Mitchie mumbled, snuggling closer and letting her eyes fall shut. Shane smirked down at her.

"It wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that I just—" Mitchie cut him off, pressing her mouth to his. She withdrew, shaking her head slightly.

"That was a bonus; but I'm so happy, just being here with you." She whispered, her head hitting the pillow. Shane laughed and kissed her cheek.

"I hate to do this, but I gotta go take a shower." He mumbled, wincing as he moved. Her eyes flew open and she instantly sat up.

"I feel so awful; I feel so selfish; I'm sorry Shane!" She cried and he laughed, shaking his head and pushing her back into bed gently.

"It's fine, it was worth it. I'll be right back baby." His mouth brushed her forehead and he was gone. She closed her eyes, sighing happily. He was everything she had ever wanted.

**Oh snap. So they were so close; but because I'm evil, they didn't. Tell me what you thought, or what you want from me. **


	24. Chapter 24

_**This Is Me**_

_**EatSleepBreatheJonas**_

**Okay, so I loved all your reviews, but I really hated the last chapter; regarding the smut. I had sent the chapter to my "go-to person" on fanfiction, _Allume a Pense, _and she's solved my problems basically. So you can put all the inspiration credit to her. (Big smile!)**

The light filtered in slowly; Mitchie stirred. Shane's arms were flung around her waist she noticed, shifting in his hold. He must have gotten back to bed after she had fallen asleep. Stepping out of bed, she glanced at the wall calendar. She smiled, and took something out of her suitcase only slightly, leaving it inside, but slightly exposed. She closed her eyes and wrinkled her nose. She seriously needed to brush her teeth. She had a serious craving her vanilla mint toothpaste.

A moment later; her craving was satisfied. A lock of hair fell into her eyes, and she attempted to blow it away. It didn't budge. Mitchie, frustrated, looked up into the mirror to brush it away. She stopped, staring at herself. Her head tilted to the side as she studied herself. "I don't look seventeen." She breathed, moving her hair out of her eyes. That was it, it was her eyes. She moved in close to the mirror, blinking slowly. It was definitely her eyes; they were flat, dull, and she looked tired. She frowned. "But I'm not tired. Why do I look so worn out?" She asked herself, turning her head from side to side.

Her hair. She picked up a lock of it, twisting it around her finger. She used to love to do that, watching the natural highlights sparkle and shine under whatever light was there. Nothing. She dropped the lock of hair, studying all of it. It wasn't as full as it usually was, and it had lost its vibrancy. She ran her hands through it, frustrated.

Shane opened his eyes. "Mitchie?" He picked up his head, looking for her. She was probably in the bathroom he decided, standing up. Rubbing his eyes, he blinked a couple of times at the clock that sat on his bedside table. 7:54 in the morning. He laughed; he had never been up this early.

Mitchie locked the door in the bathroom, flipping the shower water on to cover her voice. She was pacing now, but not so much that she was ever out of her view in the mirror. "What have I done?" Mitchie whispered, dropping to her knees. Shane heard her fall; he put his hand on the doorknob and called her name. "I'm fine Shane." She called in a shaky tone, ignoring whatever he was saying now. "I was so close to sleeping with him." She breathed, spreading her hands on the bathroom counter and staring at herself.

Shane twisted the doorknob, groaning when he found it locked. "Mitchie, can I come in?" His tone was calm, but inside he was more than slightly worried about his fiancée. She didn't answer. "Mitchie? Are you okay?" Shane kept his voice soothing.

"I'll be out in a moment." Mitchie called, fighting back tears. She couldn't talk to him; not now. Mitchie stared back at herself, scared. "I shouldn't be scared of myself." She scolded, and she laughed coldly. "I also shouldn't be talking to myself: I sound stupid." Mitchie snapped, her eyes filling with tears. "But I am stupid, so that works." She added, resting her head on her arms. The tears came faster now. She wiped at them jerkily, frustrated. "Why am I always crying?" She asked herself, standing up and grabbing a tissue, wiping under her eyes.

Shane gave up and went back to the room. He tripped over her suitcase, and went sprawling onto the bed. "What the...?" He looked down to see what he tripped on. A package was poking out of her suitcase, with a card on top. The card had his named scrawled across it. He picked it up, curious. Shane flipped it over, sliding his finger under the flap and opening it.

"_Shane, _

_if you're reading this, then I left it out for you to find, and it's 6 months since we met at Camp Rock, and... we're still together. I made this for you a while ago, and I've been adding to it since we've been on tour. It's nothing amazing, just a book of memories. It starts before we knew each other, goes through Camp Rock and up until our engagement party. It's not officially our 6 month anniversary; don't panic. Just 6 months since you ran into me in the kitchen, covered in flour. Well, I love you, so enjoy. _

_XOXO, Mitchie."_

He smiled, picking up the package. He opened it slowly, lifting the leather bound book from its wrappings. Carefully, he opened it, looking at the first picture. They were asleep on their, curled together. Mitchie looked so peaceful; a smile gracing her face even while she slept. The photo had been taken in black and white; in small letters near the bottom, Mitchie had written in silver ink, _"My favorite part of the day; when I get to crawl into bed, laying next to you." _He traced the words, smiling.

He turned the page, laughing softly. Smaller versions of the pictures Peggy had taken and made into one collage to fill the page. Each had a special message written in silver near the bottom. He read them all, smiling softly. Turning the page again, he smirked. The page was filled with an 8x10 black and white photograph of he and Mitchie locked in a heated embrace. He had one hand on her waist and he hovered over her carefully. One hand was at the back of his neck, the other was tangled with his, stretched out towards the camera. He quickly moved his gaze down to read her rather lengthy comment.

"_So this is basically one of my favorite activities, other than just being with you. You make me ridiculously happy; which is good and bad. It's good because I like being happy, call me crazy. It's bad because if anything ever happens to us, I'm not going to know what to do with myself. It scares me that you have so much control over me, but right now, that's okay, because I'm with you. I love you so much Shane Grey, and that won't ever change." _"That won't ever change." He repeated, thinking for a moment. Her love for him hadn't changed, but she had. He closed his eyes, comparing this Mitchie, the one who had been writing, to the girl sitting the bathroom, bawling her eyes out.

"She was so happy, so blissful before...before what?" He said out loud, thinking back to when he noticed the first change in her. "No...it wouldn't be when...Oh. Oh shit." He cursed, hitting himself in the head over and over again. "She's become something she's not because I wanted to sleep with her." Shane realized, dropping the book and standing up. A moment later, he stood outside the bathroom door, shaking the doorknob impatiently.

"Mitchie, let me in please." He cried, and after a brief second, he heard the lock unclick. He pushed the door open, and fell to the ground in front of her. She was still crying, and as he sat there she wouldn't look at him.

"I don't know who I am anymore." She whispered, not meeting his eyes. He reached out to hold her; she stiffened and pushed his hands away. "No. This isn't me, I'm not a girl who just...has sex with a guy." Shane froze and dropped his hand. He had been right. "Shane, I still love you, but I've changed so much. I don't know who I am anymore. Can you understand that?" She dropped her voice, her eyes pleading with him. He nodded and she attempted a smile, hugging him loosely.

He ran his fingers through her hair, holding her carefully. "I'm sorry. I've changed too, you know; being this close to you, it's like my whole mindset has gone from caring boyfriend to stupid, horny teenage boy." He murmured in her ear. She shifted awkwardly, nodding. "But I'm going to fix that. I want us to back to how we were at camp. I want you to be happy Mitchie." He promised, releasing her from his hold. She nodded, standing up a bit unsteadily.

"I want that too. It feels like we've grown up too fast. I just want to go back to being happy and innocent." Mitchie mumbled, taking his hand. Shane nodded, opening the bathroom door for her. She stepped through, walking down the hall to the living room. She sat down on the couch, patting the cushion next to her, looking at Shane. He sat down, watching her, unsure of what he was supposed to do now.

"I found the scrapbook." He admitted and she smiled, turning to face him. "I really liked it, though I didn't get to finish it." She laughed quietly and rested her head on his shoulder. "My favorite part were the messages." Shane told her, laying down. She moved with him, wrapping her arms around his waist and keeping her head in the crook of his neck.

"I'm glad you liked it. Shane, you know I still love you right?" Mitchie asked, and he nodded. "I just want to be happy again. Mitchie Torres loves Shane Grey so much, but it's not the same Mitchie Torres. It's a new one, one she doesn't know. She wants to be the girl Shane Grey fell in love with." She murmured, looking up at him.

"I understand. I want to be the Shane Grey you fell in love with." He told her, lacing their hands together. She smiled softly, closing her eyes as the rain started outside the bus.

* * *

"Guys, wake up." Peggy sat on the floor beside the couch, poking Shane's arm. "We're going roller skating." She announced as soon as Shane's eyes opened. He blinked at her, not sure if she was serious.

"Are you kidding?" He questioned, sitting up. Mitchie groaned, stretching and opening her eyes. Peggy shook her head and he groaned as well. "Mitchie, we're going roller skating." He told her. Her eyes lit up and she jumped off the couch over Shane.

"I love roller skating!" She cried, pulling her hair up into a high pony tail. "Get dressed Shane, this is gonna be so much fun!" Shane looked at her; since they had agreed to go back to how they had been at camp, she was already more vibrant. Her eyes sparkled brightly and everything about her was one step closer to how she had been before.

* * *

Mitchie laced up her skates and turned to Shane. "You ready?" She asked, spinning on the spot. He looked up at her apprehensively. "Why do you look so scared?" She asked, giggling. He shook his head, standing up, wobbling slightly. Mitchie stared at him, trying to not laugh. "You can't roller skate, can you?" She asked, glancing around the empty roller rink.

Shane shook his head, chuckling. "I never learned." He admitted, and she grabbed his hand. "You're not seriously gonna make me do this, are you?" He whined, and Mitchie rolled her eyes.

"Come on, it's not that hard!" She pushed off, skating backwards, dragging Shane after her. She stepped down onto the rink, pulling him down with her. He winced as he fell the 3 inches, but breathed as soon as he found himself steady on the slick wood.

"Just push off and keep shifting your weight!" She coached, twirling around him. He laughed at her, watching her push off to show him. "It's so easy." Mitchie called from where she stopped, 15 yards away.

Hesitantly, Shane pushed off, gliding a few feet forward. "HOW DO I STOP?" He yelled, holding his hands out in front of him. Mitchie doubled over laughing, as he skidded to a stop in front of her. "Just because you're a natural..." He grumbled, though his eyes let her know he was only teasing. Her laughing tapered off as he watched her.

"You're a beast at bowling; I pone you at rollerskating." She shrugged, skating a few feet away before spinning, tucking her arms in and extending one leg outwards, perpendicular to her body. Shane stared, watching her revolve on the spot, twisting and curling on herself.

"Do I have to do that now?" He teased, inching over to wear she had halted. She laughed softly, wiping the hair out of her eyes and shaking her head, biting her lip. "Good, because there's no way I'd look as hot as you doing that." Her eyes widened and she blushed, glancing down. "Oh, sorry. This probably isn't helping our goal, is it?" Shane asked, and she shook her head, giggling to herself.

"Just keep working on it." She choked through her giggles, skating away to join Peggy and Jason, who were only slightly better than Shane. Shane laughed, watching Jason crash into one of the walls. Peggy and Mitchie laughed together, until Peggy fell as well. "Oops." Mitchie mouthed back at Shane, still giggling.

Nate had picked up Nel and they were awkwardly trying to skate hand in hand. Nel was just as good as Mitchie, Shane noted, laughing at the look on Nate's face. Mitchie had skated back to in front of him. "Come skate with me." She pushed out her lower lip and he held out his hands.

"Drag me?" He laughed, and she put her hands in his, skating backwards. "I'm going to attempt to skate now, so if I fall, you've gotta promise you'll help me get up." Shane warned, and Mitchie nodded solemnly. Carefully, he withdrew his hands from hers and continued to propel himself forward. "Mitchie? Am I insane, or am I doing this right?" He called and she laughed, skating up until they were side by side.

"You're doing it right. You're practically a natural!" She exclaimed, turning and transitioning to skating backwards in front of him. "Just keep pushing yourself." Mitchie stated, holding out her hands teasingly, mere inches out of Shane's grasp. Every time he would push himself closer, she'd go faster, always keeping her fingers close, but not close enough to grab. "Don't fall." She grinned, doing a sharp turn and spinning out the center of the rink.

The lights dimmed down until it was practically dark. Mitchie heard Shane curse under his breath. "I just got the hang of this is bright light. Now you want me to do it in the dark?" He said aloud, as a disco ball descended from the center of the ceiling. "Oh." He mouthed as Mitchie skated to his side.

Music filled the empty rink and Mitchie froze.

_Oh come and dance with me, my baby_

_Let's dance, do it, go crazy_

_The night is young and so are we_

_Let's make love and dance the night away_

Across the rink, she watched Nate's body tense. "No." She muttered, shaking her head. "Absolutely not." She breathed, not believing what she was hearing. She knew it was real though, because why else would Nate have the same reaction as she did? She turned back to Shane, trying to not focus on the music—something rare for her.

"Let's dance." She whispered, linking their hands and pushing herself close to him, but not touching. He didn't recognize the song, but figured she did from the way her eyes darkened.

_What I really wanna do_

_Is just dance with you_

_And feel your body tight_

_Show ya how to do it right_

"How are we going to dance? We're rollerskating." He pointed out, and Mitchie laughed, resting her forehead against his, looking into his eyes.

_I can show you every move_

_I know just what to do_

_Each step will feel so fine_

_One dance and you'll be mine_

_So baby when we hit the floor_

_You'll be asking for more_

_Let's make love and dance the night away_

_Oh come and dance with me, my baby_

_Let's dance, do it, go crazy_

_The night is young and so are we_

_Let's make love and dance the night away_

"That part doesn't matter." She whispered, not breaking eye contact. Slowly, she pushed backwards, moving now. Shane pushed forward, attempting to keep pace with her. He hadn't realized how much he was pushing forward until he collided with her, luckily not knocking her over.

_Oh put your hand in mine_

_Promise I'll take my time_

_We'll dance from head to toe_

_I can dance fast or slow_

_Baby look into my eyes_

_Let the music hypnotize_

_Let our bodies synchronize_

_When we're dancing you'll be mine_

"Whoa, sorry." He whispered and she shook her head, giving him a small smile. "That would have been bad if I had cracked your head open." He added, and she laughed.

_So baby when we hit the floor_

_You'll be asking for more_

_Let's make love and dance the night away_

_Oh come and dance with me, my baby_

_Let's dance, do it, go crazy_

_The night is young and so are we_

_Let's make love and dance the night away_

_Oh when it comes to dancing I know how to move_

_When it comes to passion I know just what to do_

_I feel the music inside_

_I feel like I am alive_

_Pretend I was right_

_Let's make love_

"It would have been very bad." She agreed, shifting nervously, before kissing him gently. "Thank you for being so understanding about what we, uhm, talked about this morning." Mitchie added, looking up into his eyes.

_Oh come and dance with me, my baby_

_Let's dance, do it, go crazy_

_The night is young and so are we_

_Let's make love and dance the night away _

_Oh come and dance_

_Let's dance_

_The night_

_Let's make love and dance the night away_

_Oh come and dance with me, my baby_

_Let's dance, do it, go crazy_

_The night is young and so are we_

_Let's make love and dance the night away_

"For you, it's worth it." Shane mumbled, kissing her forehead. She smiled as the lights came back up. "Do you want to go home?" He asked, not unlacing their hands. She nodded, skating to the side and stepping out, untying her skates. He did the same, his arm around her shoulders as they walked out and back to the bus.

* * *

**So...8 pages. I had to practice my show music, or write a lot more, so when it comes down to writing more or memorizing 84 measures of trumpet music, my school work takes priority. Sorry guys. Hope it was good, please tell me what you thought. (Semi-big smile.)**


	25. Chapter 25

_**This Is Me**_

_**EatSleepBreatheJonas**_

**Yay! I'm back, with 124 measures of trumpet music under my belt. Er. Not literally. Bahaha. So anyway. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this chapter, since my advisor person, _Allume a Pense _is out having a life. Haha. So, this is all kinda...spastically random. Hopefully you won't mind? I think I'm gonna focus on Nate and Nel, with a dash of Smitchie. Or...the other way around. Who knows? It may be a whole Jason/Peggy chapter; though I doubt it. **

**2 days left until you can't vote anymore, so if you haven't voted in ScarlettBlush's profile, go do it now, please? **

**The song is "Eyes Closed" by Sequoyah Prep School. They're not a signed group, so you might have some trouble finding their music if you're interested. They might be on limewire, I'm not sure. They're a local band that I know, so I'm featuring their music as a thing for them. **

**Random Quote of the Day: "Nick Jonas doesn't have to wait 'A Little Bit Longer,' he's already FINE!" Nora and Friends**

Mitchie turned on the water, testing it with her hand. Once it was warm enough, she stepped in, thinking about the last night. Shane had been very understanding about everything; she thought with a smile, and it was almost as though he were changing as well. Whatever the reason for his new attitude, she was happy.

Shane groaned and kept his eyes shut. "I don't wanna get up." He mumbled, rubbing his eyes and blinking. The water was running in the bathroom, and he sat there in silence, listening to Mitchie sing. "I'm going to make breakfast." He decided, stepping out of bed and rifling through his clothes that he had finally moved from his suitcase to the dresser. Walking down the hall, he tapped on Nate and Jason's doors.

"I'm making food. What do you want?" He called, and Nate poked his head out, not quite believing what he had heard. Shane blinked back at him. "What do you want?" He repeated slowly, giving his friend a weird look.

"You're cooking?" Nate questioned, leaning against the door frame. Shane nodded, arching one eyebrow. Nate shook his head, eyes wide. "I'll wait until Mitchie gets up. I don't trust you to make cereal." He commented, grinning. Shane laughed sarcastically, glaring at him.

"For your information, I make excellent cereal." Shane snapped, stomping down the hall. Nate shrugged and laughed, turning back to his room to get dressed. He needed to save the kitchen from Shane.

Mitchie stepped out of the shower, and snapped the water off. The piercing sound of the smoke alarm filled her ears. "Oh dang." She muttered, wrapping a towel around her body and hurrying out to the kitchen. Shane and Nate were both blasting the stove with fire extinguishers. "What happened?" She cried, not sure she really wanted to know. Shane turned to look at her, apology written all over his face.

"I tried to make toast." He muttered, and Nate choked on his laughter. Mitchie stared at him, not quite sure if Shane was trying to be funny or not.

"Toast." She stated, blinking. Both boys nodded, and Mitchie pinched the bridge of her nose, like she was trying to get rid of a tension headache. "You were making toast. On the stove?" She asked, opening her eyes wide. Shane nodded, not completely sure why she was asking this question.

"Uhm, where else would I make it?" He questioned, as though the answer were obvious. Nate turned to stare at him. Mitchie's jaw dropped and she tipped her head back, not believing this. "Well? Where else would I make toast?" He repeated and Nate laughed quietly.

"IN THE TOASTER?" Mitchie shrieked, turning to beat her head against the wall. Nate doubled over laughing, clutching the top of the chair to keep himself upright. "Shane, are you kidding me? I would expect this from Jason, but not from you." She dropped onto the couch, her head in her hands. Shane shrugged, sitting down next to her.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled, mirroring her actions. She picked up her head to stare at him. "I really am sorry. Will you make us food now?" He asked innocently. It started softly enough, the giggles building up in her throat. Slowly, she blinked. "I'm hungry. Please, baby?" He pouted, and she exploded, laughing hysterically. Tears poured down from her eyes and she wiped at them, still laughing.

"I'm going to get dressed. And then we're going to IHOP again." She choked through her peals of laughter, standing up unsteadily and, still giggling, tripped down the hall to their room. Shane stared after her, not comprehending what had just happened.

"So is that a yes?" He called, his only answer more laughter. Nate had dropped into his chair, where he too shook with laughter. "What are you laughing about?" Shane asked, staring at his friend.

Nate shook his head, not even sure. He closed his eyes, taking a few slow breaths. Shane stared. "Wow. That was funny. I'm okay now." He stated, shaking his head. Shane nodded slowly, standing up and backing away.

"Okay crazy..." Shane mumbled, casting Nate an uncertain glance before running back to his room.

* * *

"So what was up with last night and that song?" Shane asked, laying on the bed. Mitchie turned to look at him, biting her lip. "You can tell me anything." He reassured her, and she nodded slowly, pulling a black tank top over her head.

"It's not important; just the song Nate and I were dancing to when he..." Shane stood up and crossed the room to kiss her slowly. Mitchie pulled away after a moment, breathless. "What was that for?" She wondered, staring up at Shane.

"To make you forget ever kissing Nate." He explained lowly, his eyes dark. She shifted uncertainly, her eyes locked on his own. "I don't like that he kissed you." He muttered, turning away.

"Hey." She caught his chin, bringing his eyes back to hers. "It's in the past. I'm with you, now and forever. That's what this ring means." She brought her hand up for him to glance at the diamond. "You don't have to worry about Nate. Nate is _not_ a problem. I love you." She reassured him, hugging him tightly. His arms snaked around her, holding her close.

"I get so scared sometimes. Scared that you'll realize that you deserve so much better, and you'll walk away." Shane whispered into her hair. Mitchie sighed, closing her eyes. "I don't want to lose you." His voice was anything but calm and controlled.

"You're not going to lose me; not if I get my way. If I get my way, you're stuck with me for a very long time." She mumbled into his shirt. "Now I've gotta go make you food, since apparently, you can't even make toast." She teased, leaving the room. Shane sat down on the bed, grabbing his guitar from the dresser. Watching her walk down the hall, he started to hum something to himself.

* * *

Nate watched her flip pancakes. She had her back turned to him, singing softly under her breath. "I think I really like Nel." He commented, and she turned, a smile crossing her face. "I haven't known her that long, and I can't bring her on the bus to continue the tour. I know it's gonna be hard, not being around her. But I want us to work." He told her.

Mitchie had dropped the spatula and was watching him seriously. "If you want it to work, it will. I have every faith that you and Nel are going to make it work. Distance isn't such an issue, not really." She supplied, turning back to the pancakes. Nate smiled softly.

"Thanks Mitchie. That means a lot, coming from you." He didn't need to explain what he meant, and she didn't ask. She continued to pour the batter, flipping occasionally. He picked up his head in interest. "Can you make some of those with chocolate chips?" His voice was eager, and she laughed, nodding without turning.

Shane continued to strum at the guitar, glancing down occasionally and adding something to the notebook that rested on his lap. He sat back a moment later, reading over it carefully. "Finished." He whispered, running his hand down the spine of the spiral-bound.

Mitchie tapped on the door, opening it. "Hey. Pancakes are done; are you gonna join us or keep staring at your notebook?" She teased, smiling softly and leaning against the door frame. Shane shrugged, continuing to read.

"I need this to be perfect. Not like my other songs, that I want to be perfect; I need this to be perfect." Shane stated and Mitchie nodded slowly, understanding completely. She walked over and sat down next to him, not attempting to read what he had written. She pressed her lips to his cheek.

"Come when you're ready Superstar." She whispered, pushing herself off the bed and walking back to the kitchen where everyone sat. She dropped into her seat and smiled half-heartedly at Nate. "He's writing again." She explained and he froze, meeting her gaze.

"You mean he's..." His voice was low, and he trailed off, examining her face for verification of what he was thinking. She shook her head quickly, knowing what he assumed. "So he's being normal?"

She nodded, smiling. "Very. He thinks he'll be done soon, and he'll come then. It was good." She told him, standing up to get a glass of milk. Nate sat back in his chair, very happy. Things were going well right now.

* * *

"_Hello?" Shane picked up the phone, already knowing who it was. She sighed deeply, pressing the phone to her ear. "Is everything okay?" He asked and she sighed again._

"_I just needed to hear your voice." She whimpered. He knew what she meant. She used to do this on tour, wake him up at obscene hours of the morning, just to know that it was real. "I'm sorry, it's like, 3 in the morning, isn't it?" _

_His laugh rang through the bus. "Yeah, but it's okay. I needed to hear you too." She smiled, even though he couldn't see it. "Dang, Mitchie I miss you." He mumbled, and she giggled, turning the phone away as she yawned. _

"_I'm smiling, and I miss you too." She told him, and he laughed again. "How much longer until I can see you?" She wondered and he was silent._

"_I don't know baby." He spoke finally, and she nodded. "I wish it could be tomorrow though. Hell, I wish I could be with you right now." He whispered. She smiled. "I love you."_

"_I love you too. And I'm wishing with everything I have that I could be there right now." She promised, clutching the phone to her ear, desperately trying to stay awake. He could tell; and laughed softly._

"_Mitchie, go to bed. You need to sleep. I'm a rock star and I don't need sleep but you do. Call me when you wake up. I love you. Sleep well." She nodded, yawning again._

"_I love you. Goodnight Shane." She hung up, and before her phone could tell her the call was ended, she was asleep._

Shane woke with a start. "Holy crap." He muttered, grabbing the notebook and writing quickly. "That's like, the only time my dreams have helped me finish a song." He told himself, laughing as he finished the song. "Okay, let's hear this thing." He grabbed his guitar and began.

"_Stumblin' in late again, I'm wasted  
And I know she's wasting her time  
But I'm prayin' she don't realize, cause I need her  
I need her by my side  
And she can't see, that she's way too good to me_

_And we walk with our eyes closed, baby  
I won't say a word  
Cause this life was not worth living  
If I wasn't meant for her_

_The phone's ringin' in the middle of the night, she's callin'  
It's good just to hear her voice  
Telling me that she misses me  
And I'm falling, I'm falling but I've got no choice  
And she can't see, that she's everything to me_

_And I walk with my eyes closed, baby  
I won't say a word  
Cause this life was not worth living  
If I wasn't meant for her_

_And we walk with our eyes closed, baby  
I won't say a word  
Cause this life was not worth living  
If I wasn't meant for her"_

He sat back, satisfied. "It's perfect." He breathed as the door opened. Mitchie stuck her head in, smiling softly. "How much did you hear?" Shane panicked and she held up her hands innocently.

"I didn't hear anything, I promise. I was just bringing sustenance, I swear." She offered a plate of chocolate chip pancakes towards him. His eyes lit up and he dove for the plate, dropping his guitar and the notebook on the ground. She gestured to where the song lay. "May I?" She asked softly.

He paused, chewing thoughtfully. "You make amazing pancakes." He began, and she laughed. "And as for the song, I've finished it, so if I can finish my phenomenal breakfast," he glanced at the clock and blinked. "Okay, my phenomenal lunch, I will play it for my phenomenal girlfriend." He promised, snarfing down another pancake. Mitchie giggled and joined him on the bed.

Shane pulled her onto his lap so she faced him. She grabbed a pancake off the plate and held it out for him to bite. "You're everything I need, and everything I want." He told her, resting his forehead against hers. She flushed light pink, swatting his arm.

"You're making me blush. Eat your pancakes."

* * *

Her eyes filled up with tears and she leaned forward, kissing him tenderly. "That song...I love it." Mitchie told him, running her hands through his long hair. "I never cease to be amazed at your skill Mr. Grey. You wrote that song in 3 hours."

He laughed awkwardly. "I fell asleep actually. I dreamed you had to go home, and you were calling me. That dream finished the last half of the song, if I'm going to be honest."

Mitchie shrugged, smiling. "Being honest is good. I would know." She teased, kissing him again. "You taste like chocolate chip pancakes." She whispered through the kiss. He grinned and continued to kiss her.

"You taste like my dreams."

* * *

Nate and Nel sat on the couch, not really watching the TV, but looking at it. He kissed her cheek, and she turned to look at him. "I have something to ask you." She told him seriously. He nodded, watching her.

"You kinda freaked last night when that song came on...why?" She questioned, and Nate shifted awkwardly, knowing he shouldn't hide it from her. He planned for her to be a big part in his life, and therefore, she deserved to know.

"Mitchie and I kissed to that song." He said bluntly. Nel stared at him. "We kinda had a thing, when she and Shane weren't doing so well. That's over now, and she's perfectly happy with Shane."

"And you?" Nel asked hesitantly, almost afraid of what he was going to say. Nate smiled, brushing the hair out of her eyes and twirling a lock of it around his index finger. He dipped his head down to kiss her slowly.

"I'm perfectly happy with you."

* * *

**So I talked to my section leader and told her I had the first song memorized. Guess what? I get to start the second one. Go me. Haha. So this was seven pages, a little less than yesterday; because I still need to make cookies. More fluff though—yay! The song was, again, _Eyes Closed_ by Sequoyah Prep School, an awesome band from Florence, SC. Check out their myspace, they may be touring near you!**

**The Word of the Day is: snarfing. **

**Peace, Love and Jonas,**

**Ceci**


	26. Chapter 26

_**This Is Me**_

_**EatSleepBreatheJonas**_

**Home sick. Blech. But! That means laying in bed all day, listening to soft music, trying to sleep and getting inspired for a new chapter instead. So, you guys at school are lucky. You're gonna come home, check your email and BAM! New Chapter! And you'll be like, How did she do that? And then you'll read this and be like, oh. Yeah. So...anyway. Song credits will be at the bottom Author's Note, because I'm not totally of which songs I'm gonna use. This chapter, Mitchie has a lot of me in her, which I'm not completely happy with, but I'll get over it. Just like, the laughing uncontrollably and stuff. **

**Hey! A lot of you really liked Sequoyah Prep School, which was crazy cool. They're also the inspiration for my High School Musical oneshot, _4:53 am_. Anyway...new chapter.**

Shane woke to soft crying. He rolled over and turned the light on. Mitchie was curled away from him, clutching a pillow, using it to muffle her sobs. "Hey, what's wrong?" Shane whispered, sitting up. Mitchie turned, dropping the pillow and holding him instead. "Mitchie, what's wrong?" He asked, alarmed by her silence.

"I had such an awful dream." She whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. Shane held her tightly, as her breathing slowed back to normal. "I don't really want to talk about it." Mitchie added, and he nodded, running his hands up and down her back.

"That's okay. I'm right here, just breathe." Shane told her, rocking her back and forth slowly. "What can I do to make it go away?" He asked. Mitchie looked up at him, thinking. A small, hesitant smile played on her lips.

"Would you sing to me?" She wondered, pushing her lower lip out playfully. Shane nodded and lifted her onto his lap.

"_I've loved you forever,  
In lifetimes before  
And I promise you never...  
Will you hurt anymore  
I give you my word  
I give you my heart  
This is a battle we've won  
And with this vow,  
Forever has now begun..._

_Just close your eyes  
Each loving day  
I know this feeling won't go away  
Till the day my life is through  
This I promise you..  
This I promise you..."_

Mitchie wiped away one last tear and smiled at him. "That was beautiful. How long have you had that one written?" She asked, and Shane paused, not sure if he should reveal his secret.

"I actually just improvised that." He told her and her eyes widened in disbelief. "You're such an inspiration to me." Shane whispered, and Mitchie blinked a few times.

"That's pretty cool." She mumbled, her tears finally clearing up. Shane laughed and kissed the top of her head. "I think I can go back to sleep now." Mitchie told him, snuggling down in the sheets and smiling weakly up at him.

Shane slid down next to her, pulling her close. He turned off the light and kissed her gently, before closing his eyes.

* * *

Mitchie woke up to Shane nuzzling her neck. "Good morning beautiful." He mumbled, smirking against her skin. She laughed softly, running her hands through his hair.

"And you didn't even have syrup with your pancakes yesterday." She sighed, giggling. Shane picked up his head and stared at her. "Syrup...sappiness?" She explained, and he nodded, understanding.

"Sorry. I'm a bit slow in the morning." Shane told her, and she laughed, standing up and attempting to find clothes.

"You're always a bit slow Shane." Mitchie teased, turning to face him. "No, you know I'm just kidding. You can actually be pretty deep when you want to be. But get up. I want to do something." She tossed her shirt at him.

"That woke me up." He sat up and frowned. She had already pulled another shirt over her head and was grinning at him from her perch on the dresser. "You constantly tease me." Shane moaned, his voice overly dramatic. Mitchie rolled her eyes, her dramatics equal with his.

"I don't know how I live with myself." She sighed, putting a hand on her heart. "Oh. Yes I do. Get up lazy, we're going to go do something." She had tugged off her soffes and balled them up, hitting his arm with them. Grabbing a pair of jeans, she re-dressed quickly and flung open the door. Shane groaned and buried his face in a pillow, before slowly getting out of bed.

* * *

Nate and Nel sat curled on the couch together, watching Mitchie twirl around the kitchen, giggling to herself. "You don't look crazy at all." Nate told her, while Nel just sat there, her eyes wide. Mitchie attempted to stop, but instead twirled a bit too far, killed any sense of balance she had and collapsed on the ground.

"Shut up." She muttered, continuing to giggle. Nel stared at her, not even sure where she should start, or if she should say anything at all. She turned, wordlessly to Nate, her eyes darting back and forth between Mitchie, who sat on the ground, laughing, and her boyfriend.

"Why...?" She floundered, holding her hands up in confusion. Nate laughed and shrugged, kissing her forehead. "Does she do this often?" Nel asked, continuing to watch Mitchie laugh helplessly.

Nate shrugged. "This is the first time I've ever seen her like this. I think we can blame Shane." Nel nodded, and Nate grinned as Shane walked in. "Your girlfriend snapped." He pointed to where Mitchie sat, clutching her knees to her chest and laughing.

Shane stared at her. "Holy snap." He sat down in front of Mitchie and brought her eyes up to his. "Are you okay?" He asked, looking in her eyes carefully. She shrugged, her laughing fit slowing a bit. "Because if you're not okay, I'll have to stick you in the shower again." He warned, and Nel looked at Nate, very confused.

"I don't know." He told her, and he honestly didn't. He had still been yelling and punching things in his room while Shane had Mitchie in the shower. Mitchie took a deep breath, and nodded.

"I'm okay." She told him, standing up. Shane looked at her uncertainly. "I am! I don't even know what brought that on, but I'm okay." She grabbed the table to steady herself and went back to making scrambled eggs. "Who wants cheese in their eggs?"

They all stared at her, slowly raising their hands. She turned back and grabbed the cheese and Shane's arm. "Start grating Rock star." She told him, laughing softly. "There's no way you can screw this up."

* * *

"How did he screw this up?" Mitchie groaned, sitting in the uncomfortable chair of the emergency room. Nate, Nel, Peggy and Jason stared at her. "I mean, it was a cheese grater. How do you hurt your FACE with a cheese grater?" She questioned. Jason raised his hand to answer, but Peggy slapped it down, knowing Mitchie didn't really want an answer.

The doctor stepped through a door. He glanced at Mitchie and nodded. He was aware if he said the patient's name, they'd all be mobbed. She stood up and crossed the room to where the doctor stood. "He'll be fine." The man told her, and she breathed in relief.

"I'm guessing he shouldn't bake anymore." Mitchie asked, and the doctor shook his head. "I still don't understand how he did that to his face." She muttered. He laughed and shrugged, but held open the curtain.

"You can go see him."

* * *

Mitchie sat cross legged on the bed, watching Shane carefully. "I'm sorry for giving you the cheese grater. The thing with the toast should have been my warning, huh?" She said softly. Shane laughed and patted the spot next to him.

"Come sit. Yeah, the toast thing was pretty bad, but there was no way you could know I would try and figure out how a cheese grater worked, right as the bus hit a speed bump." He told her, and she crawled next to him.

"Still. I can't help but feel like this is my fault." Mitchie whispered, resting her head on his shoulder. "When we get back on the bus, Peggy is going to help me cook. You get to relax." She told him, kissing his cheek. He winced in pain. "Oh! Sorry. I forgot."

He shrugged, grinning at her. "This just means I'll have to kiss you to make up for all the times you can't kiss me." He mumbled, hovering over her and kissing her slowly. Jason and the others stood in the doorway.

"Awkward..." Jason muttered, as Shane pulled away. "Wow man. Your face looks like you got hit with a cheese...oh yeah." He fell silent, looking down. Peggy rolled her eyes and took his hand.

"It's not that bad." She told Shane, wincing. Shane laughed and grabbed the mirror off the bedside table. Peggy fell quiet as well. Mitchie took the mirror from him.

"It's not that bad. And besides the tour is almost over, so with stage makeup, you'll look as amazing as you always do." Shane had been nodding listlessly throughout her speech, but froze when she mentioned the tour. Nate noticed and grabbed Nel, taking her out of the room before things got emotional.

"The tour is almost over." Shane repeated, his voice numb. Jason and Peggy fled, seeing the tears well up in Mitchie's eyes. "The tour is almost over." He said again, his voice breaking on the word 'over.' Mitchie stared at him, understanding dawning in her eyes.

"I don't want to leave you." Mitchie said forcefully, limp as Shane pulled her onto his lap. "I'm not leaving." She stated, her arms tangled around his neck. He shook his head.

"Not if I have a say in it." He told her, his hands on her waist as he kissed her slowly. Mitchie closed her eyes, wanting this moment to last forever.

* * *

"I don't want to come home." Mitchie told her mother over the phone. Shane stood behind her, holding her by the waist. "I'm not being unreasonable Mama. I'm not. I just don't want to leave Shane." She pleaded, pressing the phone close to her ear.

"_Mitchie, we love you. We miss you. Please come home. This was a great opportunity, but it's over now" _ Shane heard her mother say softly. Mitchie blinked away angry tears.

"This tour was a great opportunity, or my relationship with Shane was? The tour is over, but Shane and I aren't." She said firmly, close to hanging up. Shane hugged her tightly. She took a deep breath and stayed on the line. "Mom, I love you too. But I can't be away from Shane right now. I just can't."

* * *

Shane and Mitchie sat together on the couch, staring blankly out the window. "This sucks." Mitchie whispered, resting her head on Shane's chest. He nodded, playing with her fingers. "This sucks, like, a lot."

He nodded again, bringing her hand up to inspect the ring that sat there. "You're leaving, but this ring isn't going anywhere." He told her. She looked up at him, very confused. "Oh. I mean, the ring isn't going anywhere from your hand, not like I was taking it back." He clarified, and Mitchie visibly relaxed.

"You scared me." Mitchie mumbled, smiling softly. "I was about to get really mad." Shane grinned, pinning her down on the couch, tracing her cheek with his index finger.

"You're really cute when you're mad." He whispered, ending the conversation as he pressed his mouth to hers.

* * *

Nel had poked her head out of Nate's door 15 minutes ago. "How do they do that without breathing?" She turned to look at Nate who shrugged. "I mean, they haven't stopped since I opened the door to go get a cookie, and they obviously hadn't just started, so...dang." She muttered.

Nate shrugged again. "They've had a lot of practice. Trust me." He told her, laughing. Nel rolled her eyes and closed the door, sitting back down on the bed. "So...Mitchie was right. The tour is almost over." He said softly.

Nel nodded, biting into the cookie she had grabbed. "What are you going to do?" She asked thoughtfully, watching him.

"Go back to recording I guess. The real question is, what am I going to do without you?" He whispered, looking at her through the eyes of a tortured man.

* * *

Jason and Peggy sat on the floor of their room. Peggy was singing softly, while Jason messed around on one of his white guitars. "I don't want to leave." She stopped singing suddenly, looking up at Jason. He sighed.

"I don't want you to leave." He told her, dropping his guitar. "Come here." She scooted across the floor and sat between his legs. Jason pressed a soft kiss to her head, holding her gently. "I'm going to really miss you." He whispered. She nodded, not meeting his eyes.

"Is this it then? We're going to miss each other, but it's over?" She asked calmly, and Jason froze. Peggy took a deep breath, continuing to look forward.

"I...I don't know." Jason stammered, and Peggy stood up. "I'm sorry." He offered, and she nodded, proud of herself for not crying.

"I know you are. I'm sorry too."

* * *

Mitchie pulled away from Shane, tears welling up. "You can kiss me as long as you want, it doesn't change the fact that this is almost over." She whispered, burying her face in his chest. Shane smoothed her hair down, sighing.

"You said it yourself. The tour is almost over. We're not even close to being over babe. We're engaged; we've got our whole lives ahead of us." He told her. Mitchie nodded, her tears staining his fitted white tee shirt.

"Oh my goodness, I love you." Mitchie whispered, wiping away the stray tears. "I'm just scared after I go home, you'll forget about me." She told him. Shane looked at her, incredulously.

"You're kidding right? Because there's no way I could forget those eyes," he traced her eyelashes gently, "or that nose," he tapped it lightly. "Or that smile," Shane waited patiently, and Mitchie smiled weakly. "There we go, thank you. Oh, and I could never, ever, ever forget those lips." He kissed her softly, cupping her face in his hands. "Ever."

**So not only is the tour almost over, so is this story. I'm going to probably do 4-9 more chapters, making this end at 30 or 35 chapters. I'm not sure yet. Sequel; I don't know. Sequels never work out for me, not really. Then again, full length stories don't either, so who knows. I'll talk it over with Kat and see what she thinks. Until I've made up my mind,**

**Peace, Love and Jonas,**

**Cecilia**

**Oh yeah. The song was **_"This I Promise You" _**by NSYNC. or however you spell it. No, that's right, cus it's supposed to be like, the band is in sync? but spelled with...oh nevermind.**


	27. Chapter 27

_**This Is Me**_

_**EatSleepBreatheJonas**_

**So I felt pretty crappy just now, and thought I'd write. Does anyone object? Haha, don't answer that. This chapter is full of memories; so it's going to be mostly flashbacks, with glimpses of "real time." It also might be pretty long, we've got 26 chapters of memories here to filter through. **

"Mama. I'm coming home." Mitchie breathed, resting against Shane. "No, I'm not happy about it; you're right. But I'm coming home, because you asked." Shane kissed her cheek, squeezing her hand. "I'm gonna go pack. Here's Shane; you guys can figure out when you're taking me back."

She passed the phone to her fiancé and walked out of the room. Moments later, she was sitting on the floor of their room, staring brokenly at her suitcase. Shane came into the bedroom and sat in front of her. "Are you okay?" He whispered, taking her hand. She looked down, wiping away a tear. "I'm sorry." Shane stated, rubbing the top of her hand with his thumb.

"It's not your fault." She stood up, opening her dresser and taking out piles of clothes, dropping them on the floor. "God, I hate packing." Mitchie sighed, dropping back to the ground and attempting to sort through the mess. Shane picked up a colorful bra and threw it at her.

"Remember when we packed?" His voice was serene, and he was smiling. Mitchie laughed, adding it to the pile. She nodded, sitting back against the wall and closing her eyes.

"_Hey, I'm gonna go ahead and pack for you, okay? You just keep on doing your hair." Shane told her, grinning. Mitchie nodded, smiling up at him. "We're gonna be gone all summer, so I think I'll just throw everything in suitcases, okay?" She nodded again, finishing her hair._

"_Here, I'll help. I'll grab the stuff from the closet, you can go through my drawers." Mitchie offered, going into the closet. Shane smiled and went over to her drawers, pulling the first one out._

"_I'm gonna like this assignment. Your bras are in here." Shane commented, grinning as he lifted a pile of them out. Mitchie turned with a gasp; she had totally forgotten that. Shane took the pile and dragged a suitcase over behind him._

"_You can wear this for me, oh and this one...and this one...and these three, and this one, and this one too!" He announced, tossing them over his shoulder into the bag. Mitchie laughed._

"_You're gonna love the next drawer then." She told him, watching his face as he opened it. He turned to her, grinning._

"_I love you Mitchie. And I love your underwear too." He announced, scooping out a colorful pile and dumping them in on top of the bras. She giggled and continued packing more neatly than her boyfriend._

"You were an awful packer." She commented, sitting up and folding countless pairs of jeans. Shane pouted and grabbed a tee shirt, attempting to fold it. "Here, let me." Mitchie took the shirt from him, laying it across her knees and folding it quickly. She placed it on a new pile of ready to pack items.

"I did my best." Shane laughed, deciding to sort out jeans from shirts. "I don't want you to leave." He whispered, and she looked up, surprised.

"I know that. I don't want to leave either." Mitchie shifted so she was cross-legged on the ground. Shane leaned across the clothes, kissing her suddenly. Once he pulled away, she smiled. "What was that for?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.

"I was just remembering our first kiss, that's all."

_She nodded, and looked up at him. "You're amazing Shane Grey, you know that right?" Mitchie asked, a wide smile on her face. He tilted his head to the side._

"_I've heard that once or twice. But never has it had the meaning it does now, coming from you." Shane whispered, hugging her tightly. She bit her lip and turned so she was resting on one arm. He turned as well, facing her. "You look serious." He murmured, smiling softly. She nodded, not meeting his eyes. He instantly became worried. "Oh shit, you don't feel the same way about me, and now I've totally screwed up everything we have, oh my God Mitchie, I won't ever say anything about it again!" Shane promised, and Mitchie giggled._

"_Shane, I'm trying to figure something out. Now hush for a minute!" She cried, laughing. He nodded meekly, staring intently at her. "I can't think when you're staring at me like that, it makes me dizzy." She scolded, giggling again. He instantly shut his eyes, smiling slightly. "Shane." Mitchie breathed after a minute. He opened one eye, and she swatted him gently on the arm. Grinning, he opened both and watched her carefully._

"_Kiss me?" She murmured, her eyes half shut. Shane paused for a beat, before pulling her down and kissing her gently. Mitchie ran her hands through his hair and let them settle at the base of his neck as he continued to kiss her. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. Mitchie smiled into the kiss, and shifted slightly. Shane complied by shifting with her, which proved to be a mistake. He had shifted a bit too much; the canoe flipped._

_Mitchie broke through the surface, sputtering and coughing. Shane swam over to her, apologizing profusely. She bit her lip, trying not to laugh. He paused, confused. Mitchie looked up at him as they both treaded water. "That was the perfect first kiss for us Shane." She declared, giggling as she swam closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He laughed and kissed her forehead._

"_I agree. Now let's go get that canoe." He said, laughing as they both swam for the flipped boat._

Mitchie laughed, pressing her hand over her mouth. Her eyes sparkled at the memory. "We've kissed a lot since that day." She smiled, flushing slightly. Shane laughed too, standing up to get his own suitcase.

"We have. So much has happened on this tour...it's been a lot more interesting than any other tour we've gone on." He added, adding his own clothes to the growing pile on the ground. Mitchie nodded, pairing socks together.

"I'm sure." She giggled, scooping up a pile of paired socks and dumping them in the suitcase. "I'm so glad I was with you when Aaron died." Shane nodded slowly, still not sure how to approach the subject of her older brother.

"_What are you doing Shane?" Mitchie asked, hopping up on the kitchen counter. He grinned at her around the piece of bacon._

"_Eating bacon." He said with some difficulty, given the bacon was hanging from his mouth. Mitchie giggled and leaned forward, taking a bite. "Hey!" Shane cried, though it was muffled by the bacon. "That was mine!"_

_Mitchie grinned at him. "It's mine now." She giggled, chewing and swallowing quickly. Shane pouted and she giggled again, jumping off the counter and running back to the room as she heard her cell phone ring. "I'll be right back!" She called, her voice muffled as though she were rifling through her purse. "Hey mom!" She cried, then her voice tapered off. Shane glanced at Peggy, who shrugged. "WHAT?" Mitchie's scream filled the whole tour bus._

_Shane ran to the door and slammed it open. Mitchie crumpled to the floor, phone clutched to her ear, tears brimming. Shane could hear her mother's soothing voice, also laced with pain. "Mitchie, what's wrong?" He asked, kneeling next to her. She shook her head, pressing her fist to her mouth to stop the sobs. "Mitchie, what's wrong?" Shane repeated, hugging her tightly. Mitchie hung up the phone, finally letting out the sobs she had been holding in._

_She turned and collapsed on Shane, clutching at his shirt, staining it with her tears. "Shane..." She gasped, still sobbing. He held her close, rubbing her back. "Shane, my brother died." Mitchie sobbed, hugging him tightly._

"_Oh my God." He murmured, pressing her close to him. "Mitchie, I am so sorry. There aren't any words...what happened?" He asked, running his fingers through her hair._

"_He was a senior in college. And there was a fire in his dorm, and uhm, it started because his roommate was making something in the microwave. And he hadn't peeled the foil off, and it exploded, and caught fire, and uhm." She paused for a minute, crying. "And his roommate freaked and ran, and totally forgot...or just didn't go back for Aaron." She finished, biting her lip. Shane stared at her in shock._

"_Oh my God Mitchie. I'm so sorry." He breathed, picking her up and laying her down on the bed. "I'll be right back, okay?" He whispered, rushing out of the door. Nate, Jason and Peggy stood there, waiting. "Guys. Her brother just died in a fire. I'm gonna try to get her to sleep or at least stop sobbing." He explained. "Though I wouldn't be able to stop crying if it were me." Shane added, turning and going back to Mitchie's side. Sitting down on the bed, he held her in his arms, rocking her slowly._

"_I'm here for you, and I love you so much. If you want to talk, you know I'll listen." He reassured her, laying down. She nodded, her eyes puffy and red._

"_Right now I just want you to hold me and tell me it'll be alright." She whispered, her voice hoarse. He nodded and pulled her against him, letting her head rest on his shoulder._

"I think he would have liked you." Mitchie told Shane, sitting on his lap now. He smiled, glancing up at the ceiling.

"I'd like to think he would have liked me. Right now, he's all I've got." Shane mumbled. Mitchie stared at him, very confused. "Your parents don't seem too crazy about me." He explained and she laughed lightly.

"Mama loves you; but she hates you for taking me away from her. Daddy just hates you for being the man I fell in love with. It's not you particularly, it could be any guy. But the fact that I love you, that makes him hate you. Does that make sense?" She asked, and Shane nodded, a bit hesitant.

"Still...okay. Favorite memory on the tour?" Shane asked, and Mitchie thought for a moment, tapping her chin, making him laugh.

"I have to pick one?" She asked, and he nodded. "Hmmm. Okay, let me think for a second."

_Mitchie sat beside him, shrieking a little as he grabbed her by the waist and flipped her so she was pinned under him. "Smile!" The photographer yelled, and both turned, the smiles from before back in place. "Perfect. Just have fun. Mess around." He called. Shane sank down on top of her, holding her by the waist._

"_Nuh uh. You're always on top. Flip over." She scolded, wriggling out from under him and immediately laying down so they were stomach to stomach. Shane raised one eyebrow, grinning. "I didn't mean it like that." She groaned, laying her head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist as they looked into the camera, both looking very serious but serene._

_The prop woman gave them a thumbs up. Mitchie heard the camera click. She waited, then climbed off, grabbing the guitar and holding it so the neck pointed back at Shane. He stood up, attempting to hug her. She jabbed at him with the guitar, laughing. He pouted at the camera, and she turned, still laughing and warding him off with her guitar; poking at random. The camera clicked rapidly, and they could hear the murmur of approval run through the set._

_An iPod was thrown at Shane, who, holding the device and ear buds in separate hands, formed a loop. As Mitchie was distracted placing the guitar back, Shane quickly encircled her with the loop, pulling her close. Holding it so the iPod faced out to the camera, he kissed Mitchie's cheek, as she smiled, laughing loudly. Another camera click. "You guys are fantastic!" The photographer exclaimed, almost whooping with joy._

_Mitchie continued to laugh as Shane tied her up in the ear bud wires, finishing it with a bow, so the iPod dangled at her stomach. He stood behind her, hands on her shoulders. "Look defeated." He laughed, and she instantly pouted into the camera as Shane flexed behind her. "I always get the girl. No matter what extremes I have to go to." He teased, and she rolled her eyes as the camera flashed for a final time._

"_Untie me Superstar."_

"Are you sure I can only pick one?" She pouted, and Shane kissed her softly, hugging her tightly, burying his face in her hair.

"Only one, and then we can just reminiscence." Shane whispered against her neck, inhaling her perfume. She giggled; his hair tickling her neck.

"Alright. Let me go back to my thoughts. At first I was thinking that photo shoot we did; but there are a lot of other great memories."

"I liked the photo shoot too." Shane mumbled, kissing her neck. "Don't panic, I'm not gonna leave any marks. I've got more sense than that."

"_Shane, are you freaking kidding me? It's like, 30 degrees out there!" Mitchie protested, standing on the stairs of the bus. Shane was ankle deep in snow standing below her, waiting for her to exit._

"_I know it. But the sooner you get out here, the sooner we can get to civilization." Shane reasoned, laughing. He had checked the map in the bus and knew they were somewhere in Canada. Somewhere cold._

_Fortunately, they were only a half mile from a average sized town. Shane decided any average sized town must have a bowling alley, and therefore, he waited for his girlfriend in the snow._

"_But...oh fine. But you have to warm me up if I get cold." Mitchie said flirtatiously, stepping into the snow with a shudder. Her boots went up to her knees under her jeans, with a sweater dress and a knee length trench coat layered over, but she was still slightly chilled._

_Shane grabbed her hand and glanced over her appreciatively. "I like the white jeans." He commented. "In fact, they look like a pair of mine." He said teasingly, pulling her back to him for a quick kiss. Mitchie giggled._

"_Should I be worried that you wear girl's pants?" She in a mocking serious voice, looking into his eyes. He shrugged._

"_We could look at it another way. Technically, you got in my pants. That's pretty hot." Shane teased in return, swinging their hands as they continued walking. Mitchie rolled her eyes._

"_Only in your dreams Mr. Grey." She mumbled, grinning ahead. Shane paused, tilting his head to the side. Deciding to say nothing, he pulled her close to him for another embrace. Mitchie wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him closer._

"_Our lips are going to freeze together." She mumbled through the kiss, and Shane pulled away, looking at her seriously._

"_Would that really be such a bad thing?" He asked, laughing at the look on her face._

"_Shane, it would be very bad. We couldn't breathe if our lips were frozen together." Mitchie reminded him, giggling now. Shane shrugged, staring into her eyes._

"_To be honest, you're slightly more important than oxygen to me." He murmured seriously. Mitchie's eyes widened, and she felt her smile grow._

"_Shane Grey, it must be 30 degrees out here, but you still manage to make me melt." She breathed, skipping now. He laughed and quickly tried to match her pace. "Come on slow poke!" She giggled, dropping his hand to run ahead. Shane laughed and chased after her. Mitchie turned as he approached, and thinking quickly, dropped down to a seated position on the snow._

_Shane skidded to a halt and, with his typical grace, tripped and landed on top of Mitchie, pressing her into the snow. "Oops." He whispered, and she smiled, running her hands through his hair._

_Lazily, she pulled his head down to meet her lips in a long kiss. Shane ran one hand under her jacket and along her hips, drawing her closer to him. "You've got snow in your hair." He mumbled, drinking in her appearance. She shrugged and pressed several chaste kisses from his earlobe to his jaw. "You're beautiful." Shane added, and she paused to beam up at him._

"Bowling." Mitchie stated, lacing their fingers together. "The night we got back together and went bowling." She clarified, and he paused.

"I was going to go with the events leading up to bowling, but that works." Shane laughed, standing up and lifting her onto the bed. "The bed is more comfortable." He mumbled, laying down beside her, keeping their fingers tangled.

"I meant the events leading up to bowling too. Specifically, making out in the snow, and wearing your pants." Mitchie teased, rolling over so she was on her side. "Okay, your turn. Favorite tour memory?"

Shane thought deeply, wrinkling his nose in thought. "Uhm..." Mitchie laughed, snuggling closer.

"See? Not so easy, is it?" She breathed through her giggles, wrapping her arms around his waist. Shane rolled his eyes, continuing to think.

_As they made their way into the common room, Nate glanced up._

"_You were quiet again." He said suspiciously, glancing between them. Shane ignored him and laid Mitchie down on the couch before crawling up next to her._

"_What are we doing?" She asked, and was silenced by her boyfriend's lips on hers. His hands found her hips and held her in place as he sank down on top of her. Ignoring Nate's protests, Shane placed a leg on either side of her and cupped her face as he explored her mouth. Mitchie latched her hands at the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her._

"_I hope you don't mind getting a little wet." Shane mumbled through the embrace, sliding his hands down again, over her curves. Mitchie gave him a quizzical look, and shrieked a little as he flipped them over so she was pressed between the couch cushions and his body. "Oh, and this is your warning," He added, before squeezing her gently. Instead of the squeal or shriek he expected, Mitchie moaned into the embrace, wrapping a leg around his waist and pulling him closer. "Mitchie, you're really pushing my self control here." Shane murmured, pulling away briefly._

"_I don't care, you started it." She mumbled, pressing her lips to his. Shane grinned and continued to kiss her longingly. Fed up, Nate rose from his chair and filled a glass with water. Walking carefully so he'd be silent, he stood near them and poured the water onto them. Mitchie screamed and shot up from the couch._

_Shane shook his head, water droplets sprinkling everyone. "Meet Nate, my personal, portable, always reliable, cold shower." He said, laughing._

"Nate dumping the water on us." Shane decided, and Mitchie blinked at him. "No really! I couldn't decide, so I picked that one. I'll probably think of something later though."

"I was gonna say; we've done so much on this tour, and your favorite memory is making out on the couch?" Mitchie laughed, sitting up and pulling her hair into a ponytail. "I'm particularly fond of all our fights; because we've always gotten through them."

_Shane glanced up as she entered. She sat down next to him quietly, not touching him. He could feel his heart breaking. "Come here." He whispered, and she inched over. "Mitchie." He sighed. Hesitantly, she came closer. Sighing gently, he pulled her onto his lap, wrapping her in his arms. She curled against him, resting her head on his shoulder, her body shaking with silent tears._

"_I'm sorry." She sobbed, burying her head in the crook of his neck. Shane rubbed her back, rocking back and forth slowly. "I'm so sorry. I was only trying to help and I guess I just didn't understand..." She whispered as he stared at her._

"_Mitchie, baby, if anyone should be sorry, it's me. And I am so sorry. I know there's nothing I can say that is going to take the pain back. Nate told me about the bruises. I thought I was going to die. Mitchie...I'm so sorry. I won't even protest if you want to break up with me. I could kill myself for hurting you." Shane murmured, and she shook her head._

"_I don't want to be like this." She whispered. He pulled back to look at her; a mixture of pain and confusion in his eyes. "I love you Shane. But sometimes when we fight, or whatever, it gets really bad. And I don't want to be like that." Mitchie stated, clinging to his shoulder. Shane nodded._

"_I know. I hate it when we fight. I hate it when you cry...and from now on I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure we don't fight and you don't cry. I know today was rough for you. It was rough for me as well...but Mitchie, all I'm asking is that you don't give up. Please. Don't give up on us." He whispered. Mitchie bit her lip and looked him in the eyes._

"_I don't want to get hurt anymore." She whispered, another tear falling. Shane instantly brushed it away, kissing her cheek. Cautiously, he slid up her shirtsleeves. Seeing the bruises; he winced and closed his eyes tightly._

"_I look at those bruises and want to kill the asshole who put his hands on you...and then it hits me. I did that to you. Mitchie, I'm not going to hurt you anymore. You've got to trust me." He promised, holding out his hand._

_She paused, looking at his hand for a moment. Nodding, she placed her hand in his, blinking back more tears. "I trust you." Mitchie whispered, kissing him softly. He hugged her tightly, a smile lighting up his face._

Shane nodded, wrapping an arm around her waist. "I hate those memories." He mumbled, and Mitchie looked over at him.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, laying her head on his shoulder. He shook his head and shrugged.

"It doesn't matter. Let's think of something else. Like that day at the mall with the dress." He smirked, closing his eyes and focusing. Mitchie laughed and hit his arm.

"_I love you." She whispered._

"_I love you too. Even if I can't touch you right now." He added as an afterthought, looking thoroughly put out. She giggled and brought their lips close together, not touching._

"_Just wait until tonight. That is, unless you lose." She breathed, turning to sit on his lap. Heather and Peggy smirked at her; they both knew what was happening. Both of them figured Shane would have snapped by now, but he was proving to be stronger than any of them expected. Including himself._

"_How about this one?" Mitchie asked, opening the dressing room door for Shane to step in. Turning from side to side, she inspected herself. The dress in question was a burnt tangerine color and it looked amazing against her skin. It was fitted all the way down, and had a square neck line. Shane took a deep breath and stepped inside the room._

"_Holy fuck." He stated, not even aware that he had opened his mouth. She looked amazing. Mitchie turned to glance at him. "That's the one." She had been trying on different dresses for about an hour, and finally, they had found the perfect one. "It looks great on you." He said sincerely. She smirked._

"_It would look great on the floor of our room too." She whispered, walking towards him slowly. Shane gulped. She had warned him of course, but he hadn't taken her seriously._

"_Mitchie, you're making this challenge really hard for me right now." He declared, trying to focus on her eyes and not the daring amount of cleavage the dress allowed to be revealed._

"_I know. Now, I'm going to change. You can either stay in here, or wait outside." She offered, smiling innocently at him. Shane took another deep breath and stepped out of the room. She was amazing, he thought. Cute and innocent one moment, and sultry and provocative the next. He loved her; but she knew exactly how to drive him crazy._

"Ahh. That was an awesome day." Shane sighed happily, and Mitchie rolled her eyes, hitting his arm again. "It was!"

"Only because I took a shower with you." She teased, and he laughed, shrugging. "You're admitting it?" She asked incredulously. Shane opened his eyes.

"Sure, why not? You're hot, and it was awesome." He stated, laughing at the expression of amusement and horror on her face.

"Mmhmm. Okay, my turn." Mitchie rolled her eyes, trying to think of a really good memory, one Shane would never think of himself.

_Mitchie pulled away from Shane, tears welling up. "You can kiss me as long as you want, it doesn't change the fact that this is almost over." She whispered, burying her face in his chest. Shane smoothed her hair down, sighing._

"_You said it yourself. The tour is almost over. We're not even close to being over babe. We're engaged; we've got our whole lives ahead of us." He told her. Mitchie nodded, her tears staining his fitted white tee shirt._

"_Oh my goodness, I love you." Mitchie whispered, wiping away the stray tears. "I'm just scared after I go home, you'll forget about me." She told him. Shane looked at her, incredulously._

"_You're kidding right? Because there's no way I could forget those eyes," he traced her eyelashes gently, "or that nose," he tapped it lightly. "Or that smile," Shane waited patiently, and Mitchie smiled weakly. "There we go, thank you. Oh, and I could never, ever, ever forget those lips." He kissed her softly, cupping her face in his hands. "Ever."_

"That doesn't count! That was like, 2 hours ago!" Shane protested, and Mitchie smiled, kissing his cheek. Shane winced.

"It was in the past, and I remembered it. I think it counts." Mitchie told him, grinning in triumph. Shane pouted, but finally nodded.

"Yeah, okay. But your punishment is to think of another one." He stated. Mitchie wrinkled her nose.

"Fine. Hang on; let me think."

"_Thank you." She whispered, not meeting his eyes. Shane winced. She couldn't even look at him. He hadn't realized how much he had hurt her until this moment. He shrugged._

"_You would have done the same for me." He muttered, not thinking about what he was saying. Mitchie giggled softly, blushing._

"_You mean tackle a potential male rapist?" She asked, her face still flushed. Shane laughed and shook his head._

"_I don't know. Just...don't be so stupid next time, okay?" He hugged her awkwardly before going back down to the couch. Mitchie groaned. She had just ruined everything._

_Hours later, she fell into bed, asleep before her head hit the pillow. The lights were still on, her book still sitting next to her lamp, waiting patiently to be read. Shane quietly opened the door, pushing it open just enough to slide through. She was sound asleep; she always was. She was a heavy sleeper. He thanked God for that. Pulling up a chair to the foot of the bed, he sat down._

"_Mitchie. So since I'm too scared to talk to you in person, I'm going to talk to you now. I wanted to just kinda...talk about today. I don't know what you were thinking; letting that guy in here. Anyone could see he was obsessed with you. I hated that guy Mitchie. I really did. And when I heard you scream my name, that was the scariest sound in the world to me. I was so angry at him; I could have killed him." Shane took a deep breath, clenching his fists._

"_But the real reason I came in here, I guess, is that when I saw that guy on top of you; I realized I want to be with you. I don't care anymore if you don't want to marry me. I want to be able to hold you and kiss you and love you. I want to be yours Mitchie. I don't want to have to worry about you getting involved with other guys like tonight. I want to always be there to protect and love you. Mitchie...I love you so so much." Shane stated, before rising and flipping the chair back to where it should be. He paused, glancing at the bed._

_She is a heavy sleeper; Shane thought, and made his decision. He'd set an alarm for 30 minutes before she woke up and sneak out of her room. Smiling, he crawled into bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her and drawing her close. Shane loved how she fit into his arms. Closing his eyes, he didn't notice Mitchie's eyes were wide open and her face; an expression of shock._

"When you saved me from Jonah, a few months after we broke up. It helped me realize that you did still care about me. As did that little speech of yours." Mitchie smiled, playing with his fingers idly. Shane leaned back and closed his eyes.

"Okay, my turn." He muttered, desperately thinking of one she hadn't already named. "Ugh. This is so hard." He groaned, focusing. "Got one! The day Nate told you he liked you, and we were on top of the roof."

"_Promise is a big word." She mumbled, looking down. Shane kissed her slowly, gently laying her down on the smooth surface of the roof. Moving so he was on top of her, he slid both hands under her shirt to caress her sides. Mitchie hitched one leg around his waist, her hands tangled at the base of his neck. "I believe you." She gasped, breaking away and looking into his eyes. "And I love you, but not so much that I'm going to have sex with you on the roof of our tour bus." She breathed as his hands slipped higher. Shane looked at her._

"_Don't worry. I'm not going to have sex with you on the roof of my tour bus either. I'm only looking to...get closer to you." He breathed, removing one hand and, slipping it under her and sliding it down her back to press her against him. "Mitchie, I love you so much." He whispered in her ear as she arched against him, sighing his name._

"_We are...not...doing this up...here." She stated, sitting up and adjusting Shane's shirt she had borrowed last night. "As much as I would like to, I think one of us has to have the self-control." She added, pecking his lips lightly. He laughed and turned to climb down the ladder._

"_Okay, that's cool. But I was thinking. Maybe we need a shower. And there is an energy crisis going on right now...we should save water and shower together." He smirked up at her from the ground. Mitchie rolled her eyes and stepped neatly down the ladder and back through the bedroom window._

"_But we keep our underwear on." She stated, grinning at him over her shoulder. Shane hopped through the window and followed her down the hall to the bathroom._

"_Deal." He murmured, shutting the door behind him and locking it._

Mitchie stared at him, trying not to laugh. "I thought you were going to talk about the singing on the roof, or getting stuck up there while they were driving!" She exclaimed, and Shane laughed.

"Heck no. I was talking about making out." He told her, laughing gently. Mitchie rolled her eyes, straddling him and pressing her lips to his hungrily.

"Aren't you always?" She mumbled, pulling away so her lips barely brushed his. He groaned, staring up at her. "Nuh uh. You can get a kiss when you think of an appropriate memory." Mitchie told him, laughing quietly. Shane's brow furrowed as he thought.

"Okay. Hang on."

_Shane gave up and went back to the room. He tripped over her suitcase, and went sprawling onto the bed. "What the...?" He looked down to see what he tripped on. A package was poking out of her suitcase, with a card on top. The card had his named scrawled across it. He picked it up, curious. Shane flipped it over, sliding his finger under the flap and opening it._

"Shane,

if you're reading this, then I left it out for you to find, and it's 6 months since we met at Camp Rock, and... we're still together. I made this for you a while ago, and I've been adding to it since we've been on tour. It's nothing amazing, just a book of memories. It starts before we knew each other, goes through Camp Rock and up until our engagement party. It's not officially our 6 month anniversary; don't panic. Just 6 months since you ran into me in the kitchen, covered in flour. Well, I love you, so enjoy.

XOXO, Mitchie."

_He smiled, picking up the package. He opened it slowly, lifting the leather bound book from its wrappings. Carefully, he opened it, looking at the first picture. They were asleep on their bed, curled together. Mitchie looked so peaceful; a smile gracing her face even while she slept. The photo had been taken in black and white; in small letters near the bottom, Mitchie had written in silver ink, _"My favorite part of the day; when I get to crawl into bed, laying next to you."_ He traced the words, smiling._

_He turned the page, laughing softly. Smaller versions of the pictures Peggy had taken and made into one collage to fill the page. Each had a special message written in silver near the bottom. He read them all, smiling softly. Turning the page again, he smirked. The page was filled with an 8x10 black and white photograph of he and Mitchie locked in a heated embrace. He had one hand on her waist and he hovered over her carefully. One hand was at the back of his neck, the other was tangled with his, stretched out towards the camera. He quickly moved his gaze down to read her rather lengthy comment._

"So this is basically one of my favorite activities, other than just being with you. You make me ridiculously happy; which is good and bad. It's good because I like being happy, call me crazy. It's bad because if anything ever happens to us, I'm not going to know what to do with myself. It scares me that you have so much control over me, but right now, that's okay, because I'm with you. I love you so much Shane Grey, and that won't ever change."_ "That won't ever change." He repeated, thinking for a moment. Her love for him hadn't changed, but she had. He closed his eyes, comparing this Mitchie, the one who had been writing, to the girl sitting the bathroom, bawling her eyes out._

"The scrapbook you made for me." He exclaimed triumphantly. Mitchie smiled down at him. "And the first picture. For the record, that's the best part of my day too." He told her, and she bent over, kissing him slowly.

"Good job." She whispered. "Can you name one more, before you go all pervert on me again?" She teased, arching an eyebrow. Shane laughed and glared at her playfully.

"I'll see what I can do."

"_Mom, Daddy, Shane and I have to tell you something." She started. Shane paled, glancing between his girlfriend and her father, who had a very good grip on his steak knife. Connie smiled brightly, her eyes darting back and forth between Mitchie and Shane._

"_Go ahead." She prompted, trying to control her excitement. Her husband muttered something, and she shushed him. "We're ready to hear whatever it is." She added. All eyes were on Shane and Mitchie._

_Mitchie looked at Shane who nodded. "Shane asked me to marry him." She announced; all jaws dropped. "And I said yes." She added defensively. Connie and the girls screamed excitedly, while Jason and Nate blinked slowly; Mr. Torres had fainted._

_Connie turned to see her husband's reaction and glanced down. She laughed and dropped down beside him. "Wake up honey. They're engaged!" She wiped away a tear; the first time she had met Shane, she knew this day was coming. He opened his eyes slowly._

"_I'm gonna kill that kid." He muttered, standing up and was pushed into his seat by Connie. She sent him a pointed glare, then looked over at her daughter, who was visibly shaking from her nerves. "Mitchie, are you sure this is what you want? You're only seventeen." He was trying to be rational; trying to get her to see his side. She laughed._

"_Daddy, we're going to wait until I'm eighteen, or older. We want a long engagement." She explained, and her father relaxed. Her mom smiled happily. "Even though, given the chance, I would totally marry him tonight." Mitchie added, resting her head on Shane's shoulder._

_Shane still hadn't spoken. He cleared his throat. "So just to be sure Mr. Torres, you're not going to kill me?" He questioned apprehensively. Mitchie's father looked at him sadly._

"_No, I'm not going to kill you for taking my daughter away from me. I should, but I'm not going to. However, if she gets pregnant, that's a whole different story." He added threateningly. Shane and Mitchie blushed, looking down. The family rose from the table, leaving the restaurant. He pulled Shane aside. "If you break my daughter's heart, I'll break you. Welcome to the family." He awkwardly half-hugged Shane, who paled again._

"Our engagement dinner." He told her, and she kissed him again, sliding her hands up his shirt, tracing his abs teasingly. "Mitchie, don't you dare." He groaned, holding her closer.

Abruptly, she pulled back and climbed off of him. "I think I want lunch." She mumbled, grinning at him. Shane laid there, staring after her.

"You're kidding, right?" He called, and she laughed, shaking her head. "Mitchie!" He whined, tossing his head back.

"I love you!" She yelled, laughing brightly. "But I love me some sandwiches too."

* * *

**13 chapters of memories. Next chapter the last 13, and Mitchie goes home. Sigh. Tell me what you thought! **


	28. Chapter 28

_**This Is Me**_

_**EatSleepBreatheJonas**_

**Last chapter of memories, and then the next one will be the last official chapter. Chapter 30 will be an epilogue of sorts; with a preview of the sequel/accompaniment story. I don't like calling it a sequel, it feels weird.**

Mitchie laid on the bed, sprawled across Shane. She was lazily drawing figures on his stomach with her index finger, looking extremely bored. "I love you." Mitchie mumbled, smiling sleepily. Shane repeated the words, yawning.

"I was just thinking, we said 'I love you' really early." He realized. Mitchie blinked slowly, thinking it over carefully, replaying their relationship in her mind.

"Oh. You're right; we did. You told me the morning after our first kiss; and I was that same day too, right?" She asked. Shane nodded, his eyes glazing over slightly at the happy memory.

_As they docked, Connie Torres ran to hug her daughter. "Mitchie! Why are you all wet?" She cried, holding her daughter at arm's length and examining her. Mitchie glanced at Shane, who shrugged and tried to not laugh at the look on his girlfriend's face._

"_Uhm, Shane flipped the canoe." Mitchie said quickly, willing herself not to blush. Connie nodded and glanced at Shane._

"_You're that singer all the entertainment shows are talking about, with your bad attitude, aren't you?" She snapped, glaring at Shane. He looked down and nodded._

"_Mrs. Torres, that was who I was. But I met your daughter, and she's changed me in ways I can't explain. I don't want to be known as that guy. I'd like a chance to make a new impression on you, if you'd allow that." Mitchie smiled, proud of her boyfriend._

_Connie arched an eyebrow. "Oh really? And why would a new impression of you be so important to me?" She asked politely, looking at Shane. Mitchie stepped in._

"_Uhm, mom, Shane asked me to be his girlfriend actually." She whispered, flushing a light pink. Connie's jaw dropped and she turned back to Shane. "And I said yes. And he really has changed Mom...so if you'd just give him a second chance?" Mitchie begged, and Connie nodded slowly._

"_Alright. I'm looking forward to it Shane. Mitchie, your dad took most of your stuff home with him, but I think your smaller suitcase is still in our cabin, if you'd like to get changed really quick. I'll be in the van, okay sweetie?" Mitchie nodded and hugged Shane as her mom walked away._

"_You were great." She whispered, looking up at him. He smiled and laughed, before kissing her tenderly. She returned the kiss happily, before breaking it off and grinning. "I have to go get changed. Not that being all wet isn't great..." She kissed him once more then turned and walked to her cabin. Shane stood there, watching her walk._

"_Mitchie!" He yelled, and she turned, still smiling from his kiss._

"_Yeah?"_

"_I think I'm in love with you."_

Mitchie smiled at the memory. "That was one of the happiest days of my life." She whispered, kissing Shane's cheek. He nodded, holding her close to him. "I don't want to go home." Mitchie added, snuggling against him.

"I don't want you leaving me. Who will cook?" Shane teased, but soon fell serious. "I'm going to miss you so much. I don't know what I'm going to do with myself." He admitted. "Maybe I can move in with you?" He joked, and Mitchie laughed.

"Because my dad would love that." She told him, rolling her eyes. "Remember when you first met him? I think he knew, even then, that you were going to be the guy that took me from him."

_A knock at the door. "Mitchie? Sweetie? Are you awake?" Connie called, and Mitchie ran to the door._

"_Sssh Mom! Shane's asleep!" Mitchie whispered, and Connie nodded._

"_Well. Wake him up. Dinner's almost ready. Your father is on his way home, so you might want to warn him." Mitchie nodded and shut the door gently._

_Shane picked up his head. "I get to meet your dad. Yippee." He twirled his finger in the air, and Mitchie giggled._

"_He's not that bad. He's pretty cool, as long as you don't start kissing me at the table. Sucking up won't get you very far, but it's worth a shot. Talk about anything except the Chicago Bears. Other than that, you're good."_

_Shane was listening intently. "Wait. So I can't kiss you at the table?" Mitchie nodded. "Well then I guess I better do it now." He declared, pressing her down on the bed and kissed her deeply. Mitchie closed her eyes happily. She had a new favorite activity, she decided as she stood up._

"_You're a better kisser than Poster Shane." She breathed, fixing her hair at her mirror. Shane grinned._

"_I thought those were lip gloss stains." He teased, hugging her and playing idly with her hair. "You look great baby." He promised, kissing her forehead as she rose._

_She smiled. "Let's go meet my dad." She said happily, entwining their fingers. Leading him down the hall, she heard the front door open. "He's home." She whispered, and Shane took a deep breath, before kissing her once more._

"_Sorry. I figured I'm not going to be able to do that for at least a few hours." He explained and followed her down the stairs._

"_Dad!" Mitchie cried, rushing forward to hug her father. "Daddy, this is Shane. Shane, this is my dad." She introduced then stepped back._

"_You're the boy my little girl was singing with at that concert." Mr. Torres recognized and Shane nodded, extending his hand to her father._

"_Yes sir. I'm also here to ask for permission to date your daughter." Shane requested as Mr. Torres shook his hand._

"_Well. I can assume she said yes, given the fact that you're standing here." Mr. Torres stated and Shane nodded once more._

Shane laughed softly at the memory. "I'm just glad he didn't kill me. The look on his face, when I asked to date you. I thought one of us was going to die." He chuckled, and Mitchie hit his arm gently.

"My dad wouldn't have killed you." She told him as he continued to laugh. "He wouldn't have." Mitchie insisted, crossing her arms. Shane shrugged, looking at her tenderly.

"He might not have given you that murderous look, but that's because you're his baby girl. He definitely gave me the look when we announced we were engaged." Shane pointed out. Mitchie paused, replaying the moment over in her mind. A small smile formed as she dropped herself unceremoniously into his lap, facing him. She ran her hands through his hair, looking into his eyes.

"Am I your baby girl too?" She whispered, biting her lip teasingly. Shane groaned, watching her eyes darken slightly. He nodded, kissing her softly.

"You'll always be my baby. That's what makes your dad hate me. He knows he has to share you now." Shane mumbled, his eyes drifting to a point on the wall behind Mitchie. She watched him, unsure of what was going on. He was smiling slightly, staring at the wall. She snapped her fingers in front of his eyes. "Whoa. Sorry...I was just thinking. You weren't always so innocent." He commented, and Mitchie blushed.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She muttered, not meeting his eyes. Shane laughed, kissing her forehead lightly.

"You could be pretty evil when you wanted to." Shane told her. Mitchie rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.

_Mitchie threw herself down onto the couch beside Shane, picking idly at his plate of food. Yawning, she waited until he glanced up at the TV and quickly grabbed a piece of bacon. He turned back and reached for the piece she had just swiped. Confused, he looked down. "Mitchie, am I crazy? I could have sworn I got two pieces of bacon. I ate one...where's the other?"_

_She choked on her laughter, swallowing the last bit. "Sorry. It looked really good." She giggled, holding her hands up as a form of surrender. Nate and Jason came into the room, dropping onto the couch, watching the newly reunited couple._

"_So? You look really good today, but I don't eat you!" Shane pointed out, and Nate choked. "Oh. That sounded perverted, didn't it?" He asked, and Jason nodded while thumping Nate on the back._

_Mitchie buried her face in a pillow, screaming with laughter. "Oh my goodness Shane. You don't think before you speak, do you?" She asked, and he shook his head immediately. "Oh my goodness." She repeated, giggling. Nate, saved by Jason, glared up at Shane._

"_Please please please, a thousand times please don't talk like that anymore. You're going to kill me." Nate stated, taking a sip of water, trying to tune Shane out._

"_Guys, I'm sorry." Shane stated, laughing, setting his plate down on the ground and stretching out on the couch. Mitchie shifted so she was between his body and the couch cushions, wrapping her arms around his waist. Feeling a bit evil, she slid one of her legs between his, pressing herself against him. "Mitchie..." Shane scolded in a constricted voice, staring at the TV._

"_Sorry. I had one of my evil moments. Just testing you." She whispered, not moving her leg. Shane glanced down at her glowing face and groaned._

"_I think I'm doing okay." He muttered, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. Mitchie shrugged and moved herself higher so she could reach his ear better._

"_Are you sure?" She breathed in his ear, playing with his hair. He closed his eyes and shook his head. "You're still doing pretty well, don't worry." Mitchie added, moving her hands down his back. "Just don't get distracted." She advised, kissing his jaw and shifting so she wasn't pressed against him anymore._

"_You're evil Mitchie." Shane muttered, smiling slightly. "But I love you, so it balances out."_

_Nate glanced up from his food over at the couple. "You guys are being quiet again! I don't like it." He stated, and Mitchie laughed, rolling her eyes up at Shane._

Mitchie giggled. "Okay, so maybe I could have been a bit kinder to you." She admitted, pressing a hand to her mouth to muffle her laughter. Shane rolled his eyes, grinning.

"A 'bit' kinder? You were silently begging me to take you right there!" He exclaimed, and Mitchie blushed, biting her lip slightly. "Don't bite your lip like that," he warned, "it makes me want you." He grinned as she flushed even more deeply.

"Stop it." She laughed awkwardly, not meeting his eyes. Shane laughed softly, picking her up and turning her so her back was to him. He started to mess with her hair idly. "What are you doing?" She whispered.

"Playing with your hair. You did it all the time to me; now I'm regretting not doing this before. Your hair is really soft."

"_Good morning." He said, bemused. Mitchie grinned up at him. "You look really good today." He stated, spinning her around slowly. She giggled and sat down on the couch. Shane sat down next to her, laying his head in her lap. Absentmindedly, she began to play with his hair. Before he could protest, Shane Grey had a head full of braids. Peggy and Nate burst out laughing, the latter in tears from laughing so hard._

_Jason on the other hand was sitting next to Mitchie, hands clasped. "Do me next? Please?" He begged, and Shane shook his head in dismay, braids swinging cheerfully despite his mood. Mitchie giggled and kissed her boyfriend happily on the cheek._

"_I love you. Now please unbraid my hair." Shane requested, smiling at Mitchie who sighed and started to unbraid sadly. Once she was finished, his usually flat-ironed hair had gentle waves through it. Peggy took a picture of everyone, Shane in the middle, pouting._

_Mitchie pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you for letting me braid your hair." She murmured, running her fingers through his hair. He smiled at her._

"_It made you happy." He shrugged, and cupped her face as he kissed her tenderly. Nate groaned._

"_Dude, go to your room if you're gonna do that." He scolded. Peggy giggled, and took another picture of the couple._

"_It's kinda cute Nate. Just be happy he's not whining all the time." She suggested, smiling and snapping pictures of Shane and Mitchie. Nate rolled his eyes and sat down in his chair with a huff._

_Mitchie broke the embrace and turned to Nate. "If it bothers you that much, we can go to our room." She placated, grabbing Shane's hand and leading him down the hall. "But we're not gonna be quiet." Mitchie called teasingly, causing Nate to bury his head in a pillow and scream. Shane laughed and pressed her up against one of the walls, looking into her eyes._

"_You make me so happy." He stated, interlocking their fingers. Mitchie blushed lightly, and pressed a kiss to his cheek._

"_Right back atcha superstar." She whispered, grinning and opening their door._

Mitchie sighed as he ran his hands through her hair. "And it smells good." Shane added, burying his face in her neck, inhaling the aroma of her shampoo. Mitchie giggled softly, his breath tickling her neck. He pulled back to look at her. "Is this better than anything you fantasized about with my poster?" He wondered. Mitchie laughed loudly, her eyes wide.

_Shane opened his eyes. It was dark outside. He glanced back down. Mitchie was awake, staring at the poster on her ceiling. "Hey baby, why are you staring at that when you've got the real guy here?" He asked teasingly. She turned and a smile lit up her face._

"_You're finally awake!" She cried, and he looked scared._

"_How long was I asleep?" He asked cautiously. "And how long have you been awake?" He asked again, very confused._

"_You've been asleep since we got home I guess. But I've only been awake for like, 5 minutes. So don't worry. I haven't been fantasizing with your poster too much." She teased._

_Shane looked curious. "What exactly are we fantasizing about Ms. Torres? Because I'm sure that whatever it is, Shane Grey would be more than happy to take care of it for you." He murmured, his hot breath tickling her neck._

"_Mmmm. I don't think I can tell you baby. Poster Shane might get mad that I'm cheating on him." Mitchie grinned, biting her lip. Shane groaned._

"_Don't keep biting your lip like that, sooner or later I'm not going to be able to control myself and that would be very bad for us." He scolded, a small smirk etched across his face._

_Mitchie glanced up at him. "Well. As you slept, Poster Shane was being very suggestive, and I kinda liked it." She admitted, smiling. "And yeah, I'm only 16, but I'm pretty sure I know what I want." Shane looked into her eyes._

"_And what is it that the lady wants?" He asked, his voice dangerously low. Mitchie grinned._

"_You."_

Mitchie was still laughing, and she paused to wipe away a tear that had formed at the corner of her eye. "I had forgotten about that." She breathed through her peals of laughter. Shane watched her, entranced.

"I love the way you laugh." He murmured, and her eyes lit up. "You're beautiful, inside and out. You make me smile in ways you don't even know. You light up my life every time I see you, even if it doesn't show."

Mitchie smiled widely. "I love the way you kiss me." She teased, lacing her hands behind his head and bringing him close.

_Mitchie slid his key card into the door, breathing heavily as Shane placed several kisses along her neck and collarbone. Fumbling with the handle, they fell into Shane's room. Mitchie walked backwards towards the bed, locked in a heated kiss with her boyfriend. Breaking the kiss and wrapping his tie around her fingers, she pulled him closer, until she fell back onto the bed; Shane landing on top of her. Shane pulled the tie off and stood up._

"_I'll be right back." He promised, his voice low. Quickly, he snapped the door open and hung the tie loosely around the handle._

_Mitchie sat up, "What did you do?" she inquired upon his return, pulling him down on top of her. Shane grinned down at her._

"_Putting up a do not disturb sign of sorts." He murmured, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her slowly. She broke away, horrified._

"_My parents..."_

"_Don't know that this is my room." He finished, pressing his lips to hers again. She smiled into the embrace, wrapping one pantyhose-clad leg around his waist. Her already knee-length dress had slid up several inches, leaving a daring amount of exposed skin for Shane to take in. "God you're beautiful." Shane murmured, sliding her dress up farther. Mitchie's hand stopped him._

"_How far are we going?" She asked, chest rising and falling rapidly, her face slightly flushed. Shane paused, and she bit her lip._

"_As far as you want." He finally decided, and she relaxed her hand. "Are you sure?" He asked once, and she nodded. Slowly, he slid her dress up and over her arms. Casually, as though it were a tissue, he threw it over his shoulder, not bothering to watch it land on the couch opposite the bed. Mitchie shivered and pulled Shane down so he was pressed against her. "I could get used to this." He murmured, rubbing her sides to warm her up. Mitchie kissed him suddenly, latching her hands around his neck. Shane froze. Mitchie pulled away, confused. "I'm waiting for Nate to interrupt." He breathed, glaring at the door. They both laid still for a moment, waiting silently. Nothing. Taking that as his go ahead, Shane reconnected their mouths, sliding his tongue into her waiting mouth. Arching her back, Mitchie wrapped her other leg around his waist, drawing him in._

"_Oh my God Shane." Mitchie gasped as he slowly dragged his hands up her thighs, over her stomach and finally settling on her breasts. "Shane." She whispered, sitting up and quickly unbuttoning his shirt, flinging it in the same direction as her dress. With sudden determination, she turned so she hovered over him. Silently, her lips ghosted over his chest and he threw his head back onto the pillow. After a moment, Shane turned them back and straddled her hips, staring down at her. She met his eyes, and bit her lip._

"_Make me forget."_

Shane didn't want to ask this next question, though he knew he needed to know the answer. He took a deep breath, turning to Mitchie. "If we're going to get married; I need to know everything. How far did you go with Nate?" He held his breath, waiting for an answer. Mitchie sighed, not meeting his eyes.

"_Do you know where Shane is?" Mitchie asked, remembering her boyfriend. Nate did know actually, but he knew Shane wouldn't want Mitchie to know. It wasn't a happy story; one he knew Mitchie didn't want to be a part of. Instead of answering honestly, he shook his head._

Oh put your hand in mine

Promise I'll take my time

We'll dance from head to toe

I can dance fast or slow

Baby look into my eyes

Let the music hypnotize

Let our bodies synchronize

When we're dancing you'll be mine

"_Do you always dance this sensually with your boyfriend's band members?" Nate asked, noting how she rolled her hips against his, pressing her chest against him. She laughed softly, taking his hands from her waist and letting them drop down below her waist._

"_Only for you. And only this song." She breathed, closing her eyes. Nate nodded, understanding. She wanted to forget Shane for this moment; to be honest he did too._

So baby when we hit the floor

You'll be asking for more

Let's make love and dance the night away

Oh come and dance with me, my baby

Let's dance, do it, go crazy

The night is young and so are we

Let's make love and dance the night away

Oh when it comes to dancing I know how to move

When it comes to passion I know just what to do

I feel the music inside

I feel like I am alive

Pretend I was right

Let's make love

"_Too far?" Nate asked when she gasped. His hands had been gliding over the spandex shorts, and he had been bolder with Mitchie than any other girl. He knew Shane had told her that he, Nate, had already slept with girls, but that was a lie. She shook her head, eyes a shade darker than what Nate was used to._

"_Just unexpected from you." She whispered, gripping his shoulder as his hands continued to wander. "You know as soon as Shane comes home..." She began, cut off as his mouth pressed against hers. She whimpered softly, clutching his face closer to hers._

"_We're not gonna talk about Shane." Nate ordered, kissing her again. She nodded into the embrace, moaning his name loudly as he pressed against her, squeezing and gripping the spandex covered flesh, wishing Shane hadn't ever met this amazing girl._

Oh come and dance with me, my baby

Let's dance, do it, go crazy

The night is young and so are _we_

Let's make love and dance the night away

Oh come and dance

Let's dance

The night

Let's make love and dance the night away

Oh come and dance with me, my baby

Let's dance, do it, go crazy

The night is young and so are we

Let's make love and dance the night away

_Mitchie whimpered as he pulled away. "Why did you stop?" She whispered, putting a finger to her lips, feeling how swollen they were. Nate looked down, stepping back from her regretfully, wishing he didn't have to speak; but he owed her an explanation._

"_The song ended."_

Mitchie had just finished re-telling what had happened between Nate and herself; Shane had shredded a pillow. "I should go kill him for touching you like that." Shane growled, his eyes dark with fury. Mitchie tentatively placed a delicate hand on his forearm. He glared straight ahead, wishing he could go and beat some sense into his friend. Or just beat him. Either would work. Mitchie sighed, pressing her lips to his cheek. "Don't try and calm me down." Shane warned, not meeting her eyes.

* * *

**9 pages of memories**

**Next Chapter**

**6 more chapters to recap!**

**Mitchie goes home.**

**I love you,**

**Cecilia**


	29. Chapter 29

_**This Is Me**_

_**EatSleepBreatheJonas**_

**This is it guys. I hate to say goodbye; so I won't. I'm actually crying. I can't believe this is over. **

"_Good morning." Shane mumbled happily, as Mitchie withdrew her lips from his, ending a long and tender kiss. "I like your version of an alarm clock." He commented, pulling her down for another embrace. She giggled, running her hands down his chest._

"_You make me really happy." She whispered, propping herself up on her arms above her boyfriend. Shane smirked and linked his hands behind her, resting on the small of her back._

"_We aim to please." He teased, and she arched one eyebrow, looking at him and trying not to laugh. He looked at her, smiling softly._

"_We?" She questioned, dropping down so her head rested on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. She snuggled against him, smiling against his skin. He winced; she had no idea how much she was tempting him right now. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Mitchie whispered, picking up her head to look into his eyes._

"_I love you." Shane stated, as though it were the only important thing in the world. Mitchie blinked, laughing softly, running her hands through his hair._

"_I know that." She giggled, and Shane shook his head impatiently. She wasn't getting it. He sighed, frustration evident. "...Or not?" Mitchie asked, very confused now._

"_No, Mitchie, I love you. I can't see my life without you. Like, I could marry you right now and have no regrets. I love you so much Mitchie...I just thought I'd tell you that." He stated, and Mitchie smiled._

"_Kinko that." She laughed, and Shane faked a hurt expression. "I'm kidding. I love you too. I can't wait until we're married. So. We've got that settled. Now what?" She questioned, pushing herself off the bed and sliding on a pair of jeans._

_Shane shrugged. "I kinda just want to chill. But I have a personal mission that needs to get accomplished before we can chill." Mitchie turned, interested._

"_I heart personal missions." She said in a teasing voice. "How can I help?" She asked, jumping on the bed and straddling Shane's waist. He groaned, grabbing onto her hips and sitting up to kiss her longingly._

"_You, me, and the bed." He ordered, his voice rasping slightly. Mitchie laughed and shook her head, kissing his cheek. "Fine, then the other plan. Get Nate a girlfriend." Mitchie froze. She wasn't sure she could help with this plan._

_She knew she didn't have any feelings for Nate left, but even so, it would still be very awkward to try and set him up with other girls_

"Shane, it was just as much my fault as it was Nate's." Mitchie pleaded, her fingers still laced with his. Shane closed his eyes, looking away. "Don't try and blame this all on him. I'm partially at fault too." She reminded him.

"I'm trying to forget that." Shane muttered, taking a deep breath. "I don't want you to leave like this. Me being mad." He whispered, and she nodded slowly. "Just keep bringing up happy memories." He requested, kissing her softly.

"After we made up, and you had me go talk to Nate." Mitchie whispered, twirling a lock of his hair around her index finger.

_Mitchie sat on the ground, her legs stretched out in front of her, with Shane's arms around her waist. He sat behind her, legs crossed in front of her. Nate sat in his chair, while Jason and Peggy laid together on the couch. Shane was kissing Mitchie's neck idly, while Nate messed with the remote batteries; doing anything to not watch them._

"_What are we even watching?" Jason finally asked, causing everyone to stop and look at each other. Peggy glanced at the screen, and shrugged. Mitchie looked back at Shane, and forward again._

"_I have no idea." She stated, laughing. "Let's find something we actually know slash like." Mitchie suggested sarcastically, and Peggy nodded, looking over at Nate._

"_Begin the channel surfing Nate!" She ordered playfully. Nate stood up and tossed her the remote, and she caught it, surprised. "Or not..." She muttered, watching her friend carefully. He walked down the hall, shutting his door softly. Shane looked over at Peggy, who shrugged. "Maybe Mitchie should go talk to him." She suggested softly, and Shane nodded._

"_I'm probably the last person he wants to talk to!" Mitchie protested, not moving. Shane kissed her neck again, before standing up and dragging her up with him. "Shane, I can't go talk to him." She pleaded, looking into his eyes._

"_Yes you can. He needs you." Shane stated, giving her a gentle push towards Nate's door. "Just listen to him. I trust you baby." She took a few hesitant steps, glancing back over her shoulder. Shane smiled softly, encouraging her silently._

"I'm so glad we're still together." Shane mumbled, his eyes drifting shut. Mitchie nodded, laying down beside him. "I'm also really trying not to fall asleep on you, but I'm exhausted." He added, listening to the lilting sound of her laugh.

"It's fine. Go to sleep. I'm not going anywhere." She promised, wrapping herself in his arms. Shane buried his face in her hair, drawing her as close as possible. He slowly fell asleep. The last thing he saw was the light sparkling off her ring.

_Mitchie laughed as Shane tried to feed her; only succeeding in getting berry pancake on her chin. She wiped at her mouth with her napkin, laughing hysterically. He stared at her, entranced by the way her eyes lit up when she laughed. She pressed her napkin to her mouth, attempting to calm down. "Why are you staring?" She finally asked, wiping away a tear from laughing so hard. He opened and closed his mouth, trying to find the words._

"_It scares me how much I'm in love with you, that's all." He whispered, trying again and this time succeeding in getting the pancake to her mouth. She blushed faintly, swallowing and taking a sip of water. "But I have those feelings all the time, so I don't know why this time is any different." He added, very confused. She shrugged, watching him over her glass. "Maybe I'm just crazy." Shane sighed, taking a bite of waffle._

_Mitchie laughed. "We already knew you were crazy. I mean, you're having waffles at the International House of Pancakes." She teased, stressing the word 'pancakes.' He laughed, raising his fork in agreement. "But seriously, I don't what to tell you. I mean, I feel exactly the same way so..." She trailed off, taking another bite of pancake._

_His eyes lit up. "Are you sure you feel the same way?" He asked seriously, and she nodded; it was her turn to be confused. "Are you positive?" He repeated, taking her hands in his. She nodded again, tilting her head to the side._

"_Shane, what is this all about?" Mitchie questioned, watching him carefully. He shrugged, though his eyes said differently. "Because you're kinda freaking me out, to be honest." She stated, and he paused for a second._

"_Do you love me?" Shane asked, looking into her eyes, and she didn't even hesitate._

"_Yes."_

"_Would you do anything for me?" He questioned, his tone a bit faster, and she looked at him seriously before answering just as quickly._

"_Yes."_

"_Will you marry me?" His voice was even more sped up and she stared at him for a split second._

"_Yes." The word fell out of her mouth before she could stop it; but strangely, she didn't regret it._

Mitchie shifted in his arms, snuggling against his chest. Her eyes fluttered shut; her own dreams a bit more comical than Shane's, though she didn't know it. She rested her head against his chest, listening to the soothing sound of his heart beat. She wrapped her arms around him, never wanting to let go. Her mother would be here soon.

_Mitchie stepped out of the shower, and snapped the water off. The piercing sound of the smoke alarm filled her ears. "Oh dang." She muttered, wrapping a towel around her body and hurrying out to the kitchen. Shane and Nate were both blasting the stove with fire extinguishers. "What happened?" She cried, not sure she really wanted to know. Shane turned to look at her, apology written all over his face._

"_I tried to make toast." He muttered, and Nate choked on his laughter. Mitchie stared at him, not quite sure if Shane was trying to be funny or not._

"_Toast." She stated, blinking. Both boys nodded, and Mitchie pinched the bridge of her nose, like she was trying to get rid of a tension headache. "You were making toast. On the stove?" She asked, opening her eyes wide. Shane nodded, not completely sure why she was asking this question._

"_Uhm, where else would I make it?" He questioned, as though the answer were obvious. Nate turned to stare at him. Mitchie's jaw dropped and she tipped her head back, not believing this. "Well? Where else would I make toast?" He repeated and Nate laughed quietly._

"_IN THE TOASTER?" Mitchie shrieked, turning to beat her head against the wall. Nate doubled over laughing, clutching the top of the chair to keep himself upright. "Shane, are you kidding me? I would expect this from Jason, but not from you." She dropped onto the couch, her head in her hands. Shane shrugged, sitting down next to her._

"_I'm sorry." He mumbled, mirroring her actions. She picked up her head to stare at him. "I really am sorry. Will you make us food now?" He asked innocently. It started softly enough, the giggles building up in her throat. Slowly, she blinked. "I'm hungry. Please, baby?" He pouted, and she exploded, laughing hysterically. Tears poured down from her eyes and she wiped at them, still laughing._

"_I'm going to get dressed. And then we're going to IHOP again." She choked through her peals of laughter, standing up unsteadily and, still giggling, tripped down the hall to their room. Shane stared after her, not comprehending what had just happened._

"_So is that a yes?" He called, his only answer more laughter. Nate had dropped into his chair, where he too shook with laughter. "What are you laughing about?" Shane asked, staring at his friend._

_Nate shook his head, not even sure. He closed his eyes, taking a few slow breaths. Shane stared. "Wow. That was funny. I'm okay now." He stated, shaking his head. Shane nodded slowly, standing up and backing away._

"_Okay crazy..." Shane mumbled, casting Nate an uncertain glance before running back to his room._

Shane woke up slowly, feeling something—rather, someone—missing from his arms. "Mitchie?" He picked up his head to look around. She was kicking the door open quietly, desperately tugging at her suitcase. He laughed softly, rolling out of bed. "Let me get that." He told her, picking it up with ease and carrying it through the door and down the hall. He glanced at the clock on the way out. 6:55 pm.

Mitchie smiled, darting after him. "Thank you." She breathed, standing on tiptoe to kiss him gently. "I couldn't have done it without you." Mitchie told him, sitting down on the couch. Shane dropped next to her, picking up her hand and playing with her fingers. She giggled. "Shane, what are you doing?" She asked.

"Admiring how amazing my rings look on you." Shane told her simply. "I don't know which is my favorite; the promise ring or the engagement ring." He said thoughtfully, examining both carefully. Mitchie shrugged, running a hand through her hair, keeping it off her face.

"I personally love both of them." She mumbled, curling against him. Shane nodded, continuing to hold her hand close to his face. "I couldn't pick one of them that I love more than the other. They both mean so much to me." Mitchie told him.

"I think the promise ring is my favorite; simply because it was originally mine, and I was supposed to give it to the girl I was going to marry. Like an engagement ring, only with more weight to it. I knew when you accepted it, I was right in giving it to you."

_Shane gave Nate a meaningful glance and nodded slightly. Nate rose from his chair, kissing Heather lightly on the cheek._

"_I'll be right back. I've gotta talk to Shane." He explained, grabbing Shane's arm and pulling him into his room. "Mitchie, there's eggs on the stove, and the bacon is hidden. Good luck." He advised, grinning and shutting the door behind Shane. "What are you thinking Shane? And whatever it is, don't. I know that look. It's the look you get before you do something reckless and crazy."_

_Shane laughed and shook his head. "Nate, my friend, I think I'm going to give Mitchie the ring." Nate's jaw dropped, and nothing came out. His mouth moved wordlessly, his eyes wide. "Yeah, you know you look like a goldfish?" Shane teased, throwing himself down backwards onto Nate's bed._

"_You want to give her the ring." Nate stated, staring at his friend. Shane nodded casually, twisting the ring on his finger nervously. "You want to give her the ring. And do what with it?" He demanded, still in shock._

"_I plan to tell her that she's in my plans for the future. And I'm pretty sure I have her sketched in as my wife." Shane stated, looking up into Nate's eyes; his own almost ebony with intensity._

"_Your wife." Nate stated, sitting down on his dresser. Shane nodded. "Your wife." Nate repeated dumbly. Jumping off the dresser, he flung the door open. "JASON!" He yelled, waiting for his friend to come running. After Jason entered, he slammed the door shut again. "Explain." Nate muttered, rubbing his head. Shane shrugged._

"_Jason, I'm gonna marry Mitchie." He stated, grinning at his friend. Jason grinned and high fived Shane, his eyes lighting up._

"_Sweet...does she know yet?" He asked eagerly. Shane and Nate shook their heads. Nate glanced up._

"_Oh, and he's gonna give her the ring." Nate added, smirking at Shane. Jason's jaw dropped, and he stared at Shane._

"_You're giving her the ring...like the promise ring? Like the ring that said you were giving to The Girl?" Jason asked, putting emphasis on 'the' and 'girl.' Shane nodded. Jason's eyes widened. "You're actually gonna marry her?" He asked and Shane glared at him._

"_Didn't I just say that?" He snapped, tired of this discussion. Jason blinked._

"_I thought you were kidding. Like the time you said you were gonna marry bacon." He replied, rolling his eyes. "Cus we all knew that one wouldn't work out." He added, grinning. Shane groaned._

"_Whatever. I'm regretting even telling you two. Don't tell your girls, okay? Don't. I'll hurt you with a toothpick. And you know I could do it." He snapped, opening the door sharply. Sitting down on the couch with a huff, Shane buried his face into a pillow, screaming curse words. As he reached a particularly high pitch, all three girls winced at the sound of shattering glass._

_Peggy and Heather glanced at him and then at Mitchie. "Is he okay?" Heather asked nervously as Shane continued screaming. Mitchie sat down next to him and pulled his face out of the pillow._

"_You okay?" She asked, fighting back giggles. "Cus you broke the coffee pot." She added, breaking down and laughing. Peggy and Heather giggled as well, as they bent over to pick up the bigger pieces of glass. "Now if you're okay, you're gonna need to stop the screaming. If you're not okay—" Mitchie was cut off by his lips on hers._

_Shane cupped her face in his hands, kissing her deeply. As he pulled away, he smiled. "I'm okay now." He mumbled, hugging her tightly and inhaling her perfume. Mitchie blinked, very confused. "Love you." Shane mumbled again, and she grinned._

"_Love you too."_

The bus pulled to a halt. Mitchie's head snapped up. "No." She breathed, burying her face in Shane's shoulder. "Not yet. I can't leave." She breathed, shaking her head. Shane's eyes widened. He knew she was leaving today; but so soon?

"You have to. Your mom is here." He said regretfully, standing up. Mitchie rose with him, hugging him tightly. "I love you so much." He told her. Jason's door opened, and he emerged. Nate slowly came out too, ready to say goodbye.

Mitchie shook her head again as the bus doors opened and her mother appeared. "I can't." She sobbed, clutching Shane tightly. Her mother gazed at her sympathetically. Shane looked up, meeting Connie's eyes. She looked regretful, but firm in her decision. Mitchie was definitely leaving.

Shane hugged her tightly. "Go say goodbye to Jason and Nate." His voice was tight as he tried to control his emotions. She hugged him in return, and he lost it. Tears poured over, and she pulled away, her own tears tracking down her face. Jason stepped forward, hugging her gently.

She held the embrace, before pulling away and hugging Nate. He wrapped his arms around her; feeling nothing but respect and friendship. He only wished he could make Shane understand that. She pulled herself away, flinging her body back at Shane. She kissed him slowly, desperately. Connie looked down. Shane held her against him, his hands on her waist. Finally, he pulled away.

"I love you." He mumbled, and she nodded, blinking back more tears. He grabbed her suitcases, taking them down the steps of the bus. Connie followed, Mitchie trailing reluctantly. The taxi's trunk was open, and Shane dropped them in. He stepped back as Connie opened the door, sliding in, leaving the door open for her daughter. Mitchie turned to him, eye makeup down her face.

"I'll see you soon?" She asked, her voice thick with tears. He nodded, hugging her once more. Mitchie unwillingly pulled away and walked unsteadily over to the door. "I love you." She mouthed, stepping into the back of the taxi.

Shane stepped back, and the sky opened up, rain starting slowly. The taxi pulled away, and as it disappeared in the distance, the rain increased. Shane dropped to his knees, watching her leave. The rain was pounding down on him now. Nate and Jason watched, worried, from the bus. Shane let out a strangled cry once the taxi had fully vanished into the rainy haze.

_  
"I was fine 'til 7:05_

_'Til she walked out the door_

_and right out of my life"_

_**The Beginning**_

* * *

_**So I'm bawling my eyes out right now.**_

_**This is seriously just like breaking up with someone.**_

_**You know it's for the best; but you still don't want to let them go.**_

_**I love you all, and you will never understand how much your support means to me.**_

_**I'll never be able to express my gratitude fully; I've never had a story this successful; and it's not**_

_**me, it's you guys. You made this story what it was, and I love you all so much, I can't even tell you. Thank you for everything.**_

_**See you soon.**_

_**EatSleepBreatheJonas; Nora; Cecilia,**_

_**whatever name you knew me by.  
**_


	30. PART II: This Is Real

_**This is Me**_

_**Part II:**_

_**This is Real  
**_

**EatSleepBreatheJonas**

_Two Years Later_

The alarm rang as usual, and her hand flipped out from under the blankets, jamming a CD into the drive of her laptop, as usual. She groaned, sitting up and flipping her bangs out of her face. "I hate this room." Mitchie whispered, glaring balefully at the four walls of her room at home. It wasn't that she hated her home exactly, it was more along the lines of hating that she wasn't with Shane in this moment.

Speaking of Shane, she groped around by her pillow, and grabbed her cellphone. She laughed; the call was still connected. "Shane..." She whispered, trying to wake her fiancé from over the phone. He didn't stir on his end. "Shane, baby, wake up." Mitchie called softly, hearing him begin to wake. He yawned, mumbling something. She laughed, and settled back into the pillows.

"I haven't talked to you in 10 hours." Shane groaned, his voice hoarse with sleep. Mitchie agreed, sadness tracing her voice. Shane climbed off their couch he had fallen asleep on and made his way back to the bedroom. He sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed. "I'm sitting on our bed." He whispered, and Mitchie whimpered.

"I want to be there with you." She breathed, determined not to get upset. Shane nodded, closing his eyes and falling backwards so his legs dangled off the bed. Mitchie curled her knees up to her chest, breathing in deeply. "I haven't seen you in 4 weeks, 6 days, and 17 hours." She declared, recalling her last visit to her fiancé's latest tour venue. . Shane chuckled to himself, rolling over onto his stomach.

"Well we'll just have to fix that." He stated. "I'll meet you somewhere. Just pick a place." He told her, and Mitchie grinned broadly, already clambering out of bed. "It needs to be somewhat close; so don't go for Jamaica or anything." Shane warned, and she laughed excitedly.

"I won't. I'll call you back in a second." She promised, hanging up and rushing to her closet. She quickly pulled out a pair of jeans and a coffee colored sweater, grabbing her favorite jacket and dressing quickly. She was half way out her bedroom door when she stopped, glancing at her appearance. "Drat. My hair and makeup." Mitchie realized, turning on her heel to run back to the dresser. "I can't believe I'm going to see him!" She squealed, her hand shaking with nerves and joy as she artfully applied the mascara and lip gloss.

Carefully slipping on a pair of flats, she dashed down the steps and grabbed the car keys. "Mom, I'm going to see Shane!" She cried, and Connie nodded slowly, understanding shining in her eyes. Shane had already called her. Mitchie flung open the door of the car, practically jamming the key into the ignition and flying out of the driveway. Using the speaker phone in the car, she called Shane back, shaking in anticipation. "So I was thinking that diner we used to go to..." She began, and Shane cut her off, already knowing what she was talking about.

"I'll be there, 30 minutes at the most. I love you." He breathed, and Mitchie smiled in rapture. She repeated the words, and hung up, letting her eyes focus on the road. Shane hung up his own phone and dashed to the limo he had waiting outside the venue. Nate and Jason followed, confusion tracing their features. "I'll explain later!" He called, closing the door and giving the driver instructions. Nate sighed, running a hand through his hair. Jason didn't say anything, merely smiled and waved to his friend.

Mitchie flipped on the radio, humming to herself. Her eyes scanned the road, and a bubble of happiness welled up inside of her. There he was, leaning against the side of the limousine. Her heart flipped, and she felt her blood begin to race. She pulled up beside it and turned the car off. She stepped out of the car, giving her hair one last tug of uncertainty.

Shane stepped forward, both arms dragging her to him. As their bodies pressed against each other, he pulled his head back to look at her. "You look stunning." He breathed. Mitchie didn't have time to respond before his mouth was on hers gently. Her arms found his shoulders and she let her eyes flutter closed softly. Shane's hands closed on her waist, bringing her closer. "I've missed you." He mumbled, gazing at her happily.

Mitchie nodded, resting her forehead against his. "I'm so happy." She whispered, her heart still beating thrice its normal speed. Shane smiled, the expression filling his face. Mitchie sighed, her hands tangled in his hair. Shane watched her, entranced by her every touch, every move. "What are you thinking about?" Mitchie questioned suddenly, her eyes meeting his.

"You." Shane answered simply, his eyes not leaving hers for a moment. Mitchie smiled again, and his lips found her neck, kissing softly. She let out a soft whimper, pulling away for a moment. She gestured to their surroundings, indicating the fact that she wasn't comfortable with their current PDA. Shane shrugged and pulled her into the limo. She laughed, falling on top of him.

"That's not what I meant." She scolded, hitting his chest lightly. He grinned, getting a firm grip on her hips. "Shane, we're supposed to be eating..." Mitchie reminded him. Shane laughed, one hand leaving her waist to bring her head down to his.

"Actually, we were just meeting to see each other. We never said we'd be eating. Besides, I have other intentions for this little get together." He mumbled against her lips. Mitchie stifled a whimper and buried her face in the crook of his neck. "Not what I meant either babe." He teased, his hands rubbing circles on her back. She looked up at him curiously. "I want you to marry me."

His words were met by a blank stare. Mitchie gaped wordlessly, her mouth opening and closing. Shane shifted awkwardly, grinning. "Funny, I always expected that those words would be followed by a long, fangirl scream..." He mused, and Mitchie rolled her eyes, running her hands through his hair.

"Assuming that the fangirl hadn't already proposed?" She teased, and he chuckled, kissing her neck softly. Mitchie sighed contentedly, tipping her head ever so slightly to one side, exposing more skin for her fiancé. He nuzzled the crook of her neck idly, nipping at the flesh.

His eyes rose to meet hers. "You never answered my question." He mumbled, kissing her softly. Mitchie smiled, her eyes lighting up. Shane ran his hands down her waist, kissing all around her mouth before pressing his lips to hers, nibbling softly on her lower lip.

Mitchie pulled away for a brief moment to study him. "You technically never asked a question. You said 'I want you to marry me.' That's not a question." She teased, and Shane groaned, his hands still holding her hips against his. "And I thought we had already decided I was marrying you?" She gestured to the ring on her hand.

"No, like right now. I want to start driving and get married right now." Shane mumbled and Mitchie stared at him again. "Don't stare at me like that." He scolded, rolling over so he hovered over her. Mitchie bit her lip, holding back a grin. His hands slipped up under her shirt to rub her stomach gently. She bit her lip more intensely, afraid that she would draw blood. "I love you."

Mitchie closed her eyes, and when she opened them, she knew what she wanted. "Yes." She breathed, tangling her arms over his head and pulling him down for a long embrace. He settled himself between her legs, his hands on her hips. She wrapped a leg around his waist, pressing their bodies together. He pulled away, brushing the hair out of her eyes. "Drive." She whispered, crushing their mouths back together. Shane tapped on the divider of the limo and gave the driver a thumbs up. The limo lurched into motion, and Mitchie clung to him more tightly.

"We're getting married?" Shane questioned, and she nodded, cupping his face in her hands. He returned the embrace, groaning a little and thrusting his hips against hers. Mitchie took in a sharp breath, and pulled him in closer as he continued to rock against her. She clutched at his shoulders, mouths moving against each other.

"Don't start." She warned breathlessly, and he pretended to not understand. "We've been so good with the 'No Sex' thing. Don't ruin it for us now. We're going to get married-OH DANG!" Mitchie hit her head and Shane stared at her, completely confused. "I gotta tell my mom..." She realized, and Shane paled visibly.

"Don't you want to wait until we're actually married? You know, when she can't do anything about it?" Shane suggested, his voice trembling. Mitchie rolled her eyes and grabbed her phone from her purse. "Mitchie, really. She could drive up here and drag you away from me..." He pouted, attempting to grab her phone.

"I'm 18 years old. I can do what I want." She teased, holding the phone out of his grasp. "And I want to marry you." She added, dialing. Shane grinned for a moment; frowning when he realized she was on the phone with Connie. "Hey Mom...guess where I am." Mitchie grinned. She shook her head, laughing. "No, actually. Shane and I are driving somewhere and getting married." Shane held his breath. Silence.

Mitchie gave him a thumbs up, laughing silently at the shellshocked look on his face. "Yeah, you can do something big when we get home for the family and stuff. Sure." She hung up, pecking Shane on the cheek. "My mom rocks." She stated, resting her head on his chest. Shane stared down at her, not quite sure what had just happened.

"Wait...so she's okay with it?" He asked, pulling her onto his lap. Mitchie nodded, twisting so she sat across his lap, her legs resting on the limo's seat. She snuggled closer, twisting her arms around his neck and inhaling his aftershave.

"She's just glad I warned her." She mumbled, sleep creeping into her voice. Shane brushed the hair out of her eyes and shifted so she could sit more comfortably. "I'm kinda tired..." She added, yawning. Shane smiled, laying down and bringing her with him.

"That's better." He whispered in her ear, his arms pulling her close against him. "I love you."

"I love you too." Mitchie breathed before she drifted to sleep. Shane smiled, kissing her forehead and grabbing his jacket, pulling it over the girl. She pressed herself closer, kicking off her flats. Shane shuddered, grinning.

"Your feet are like icicles!" He exclaimed, and Mitchie laughed through another yawn. Deliberately this time, she pressed her feet to his calf under his jeans. He recoiled, waiting for her feet to warm up.

"You'll have to get used to it. Once we're married, we'll be sleeping in the same bed and you'll have my icy feet all to yourself." She mumbled. Shane laughed, his hands creeping down her back and pushing her closer still. He buried his face in her hair, breathing in the sweet jasmine scent.

"I'm looking forward to having you all to myself." He breathed, before he succumbed to the exhaustion that was coursing through his body. Mitchie smiled, shutting her eyes again and falling asleep.

* * *

I do." Shane's face crumbled in relief at Mitchie's words. They stood side by side at City Hall and, after signing all the appropriate documents, they were about to be married. Mitchie giggled to herself at the expression on Shane's face before falling silent again. The Justice of the Peace before them smiled reassuringly, and signed the Certificate of Marriage as Shane pulled her in for a long kiss. "I'm so happy." Mitchie murmured against his lips.

"You're not the only one." Shane returned, pulling away and wrapping an arm around her waist, making to leave. Settled back in the limo, Mitchie pressed her mouth to his desperately. Shane pulled her onto his lap so her knees rested on either side of his thighs. Her hands tangled, gripping his hair loosely and whimpering slightly. Shane grunted and parted her lips with his tongue. "God, I love you." He groaned into her mouth.

"I want to wait until we get to the hotel." Mitchie whispered, pulling away for a moment. Shane's face fell slightly. "I don't want our first time to be in the back of a limo." She explained, and he shrugged, smirking to himself.

"Technically, our first time would be either that first day on the tour bus, or the night of our engagement announcement." He reminded her, and she rolled her eyes, blushing slightly at the memories. "You know it's true." Mitchie sighed.

"I meant actual sex. Not just all the, uhm," she blushed deeply, "foreplay we've er, engaged in prior to today." She whispered, the red creeping up her cheeks. Shane chuckled, tracing over the flushed skin.

"You're beautiful." He murmured, pressing his mouth to the hollow below her ear. Mitchie shuddered happily under his touch. "And I understand." He added, his hands on her waist, drawing her close for a long hug. "Doesn't mean I like it though." He grumbled as an afterthought. Mitchie smiled and slid off his lap to curl into his side.

"I know you don't like it, necessarily, but it makes me happy." Mitchie told him, resting her head on his chest, listening idly to the beating of his heart. Shane's hand found hers and he squeezed it gently, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. Mitchie glanced through his window, smiling. "So how much longer until we get to the hotel?" She asked, and Shane laughed.

"I have a surprise for you actually." He told her, and Mitchie raised one eyebrow inquisitively. "We're not going to a hotel. I might have bought an apartment in the city." He confided, and her jaw dropped. Shane laughed, waiting for the rest of her reaction.

"Are you serious?" She whispered, completely blown away by her husband's level of awesome. He nodded, and Mitchie pressed her mouth to kiss in a simple, chaste kiss. "I love you." She breathed, burying her head in the crook of his neck.

"I figured we needed a house." Shane told her, gazing through the window. "We're almost there." He added as the limo continued to weave through the inner city streets of Chicago. Mitchie smiled, the curve of her mouth against his chest.

"Are Nate and Jason okay with you missing the warm-up?" She questioned. One look from Shane silenced her and she stared at him, slightly horrified. "You can't miss the concert!" She protested. Shane shrugged.

"I love the fans, but I love you more. Besides, we're just postponing the concert, and before the new date, we're going to have a meet and greet for everybody. They'll still get to see us, just later, and get to meet us this time." Mitchie thought this over, analyzing every detail he had given her.

"I have no arguments." She whispered and Shane wrapped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer. He nuzzled her neck, placing soft, strategic kisses along the skin. Mitchie sighed, sinking against him. "Not until we're home." She mumbled, lacing their fingers together.

"Guess what. We're home." Shane breathed in her ear. He opened the door and led her out. As soon as Mitchie was on her feet, he swept her into his arms. "I'm carrying you across the threshold." He explained lowly. She laughed softly and threw her arms around his neck.

* * *

Carefully, Shane laid her down on the bed; her arms still around his neck brought him down with her. She smiled reassuringly, pushing herself up off the bed to kiss him longingly. Shane linked one hand with hers, the other cupping her face. His mouth moved with hers as his hand moved over her breasts and down her stomach to caress her thigh. She smiled into the embrace, allowing his tongue to gain entry to her mouth. Shane delved deeper, exploring and tasting. Both hands moved back up to her chest; she whimpered slightly. He kissed her intrusively, settling himself between her legs.

Her hands snaked between their bodies, fumbling with his jeans while he slowly dragged her skirt down over her hips, her thighs and finally she slid out of it delicately, letting it fall off the bed. Impatiently, she tugged at his jeans while his larger hands covered hers, stilling them. With ease, he unfastened them and kicked them off and onto the floor. Satisfied for the time being, Mitchie tentatively, carefully, almost in a frightened manner, reached between his legs, feeling the silky material of his boxers.

Shane groaned into her mouth, his hands back on her breasts. Mitchie pulled away for a moment to stare into his dark eyes. "I love you." She gasped, feeling his pressure in her hand. Her words flared up inside of him, and he was lost.

* * *

Mitchie sat at the kitchen counter the next morning, watching her husband over the rim of her coffee mug. Shane turned to face her, an amused smile forming on his lips. "Yes, Mrs. Grey?" He asked, and she laughed softly, blushing happily at her new name. She tugged at the sleeves of his dress shirt that she now donned. Her eyes followed him and she stood, crossing the kitchen to kiss him longingly.

She pulled away, her fingers on his jawline. "You haven't shaved yet." She mumbled, running one finger over the stubble, and he shook his head. "Don't. You look sexy." Mitchie whispered, then blushed lightly. Shane grinned, and let his eyes drag down her body.

"Sexy, huh? This from the girl wearing only her husband's dress shirt and underwear?" Mitchie laughed softly, not quite sure if she should correct him or not. Yes, it would be worth it, she decided. She pulled back from him, grinning wickedly.

"Actually, I'm not wearing underwear." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she found herself flipped over Shane's shoulder. She shrieked wordlessly, hitting his back lightly. "Shane, put me down!" She laughed, her bare legs kicking his stomach fruitlessly.

"You brought this on yourself." He told her, shutting the bedroom door behind them. "Just be glad I believe in corporal punishment." He mumbled lowly, and Mitchie laughed, as he began to unbutton her shirt.

* * *

Mitchie laid in bed, blankets pulled up to her waist. Shane was draped across her, his arms around her waist and his head on her chest. Her hair was pulled into a high, messy pony tail, while his was curling slightly at the edges. Her hands rested on his shoulders with her eyes shut. Shane closed his eyes for a moment, picking up his head to gaze at his wife. "Mitchie?" He stirred her, and she opened her eyes lazily.

"What is it baby?" She questioned, smiling blissfully. Shane let one hand graze over her stomach idly, and she shivered under his touch. He paused for a moment, not sure exactly how to ask this new question that had formed in his mind. He took a deep breath. Honesty, perhaps bluntness would be the best policy, he decided.

"Do you want kids?"

* * *

***Phantom of the Opera Overture plays in the background***

**what will happen next?**

**So yeah, I realize that coming back and adding to this is totally **

**random and all that. But I think you'll get over it? **

**anyway...**

**review!**


	31. Part II Chapter 2

_**This is Me**_

_**Part II**_

_**This is Real**_

_**EatSleepBreatheJonas**_

_Chapter One through Chapter Twenty-nine are Part I; This is Me. Starting with Chapter Thirty is Part II; This is Real. It will be followed by Part III; We're Exactly Where We're Supposed to Be. I'm not positive where Part II will end and Part III will begin. Hopefully this clears up that while this is a continuation of This is Me, it's not a sequel. It's one continuous story, broken into smaller parts...yeah, I don't really know. If it makes sense, YAY! If it doesn't, well then just read and be happy that I've chosen to keep writing. Haha. Okay, that's all. Onto the chapter; I know you're all sitting on the edge of your seats in anticipation._

Mitchie hesitated, biting her lip. Shane looked up at her expectantly. She sighed once, reaching above her head to tighten her ponytail as Shane continued to gaze at her. "Shane, I'm only 18." She reminded him softly. "We have our whole lives to have children. I still want to go to college; I want to live a little." She whispered.

Shane blinked. "I thought you wanted kids." He stated, shifting up her body so his mouth rested temptingly by her ear. Mitchie shivered under his warm breath, pressing closer to him under the blankets. His arms encircled her waist as he kissed her neck.

"I do want kids, especially and most definitely with you. Don't you want to wait a while? We've been married for 24 hours—let's wait." She pleaded, her eyes sliding shut as his mouth traveled lower, grazing her collarbone. She shivered again, determined to not let her guard down.

"I don't want to wait. I'm 20 years old." Shane mumbled, caressing her stomach now. "You'd look so amazingly beautiful pregnant." He whispered, a seductive tone lacing his words. Mitchie rolled her eyes once, settling into his embrace.

"Yeah, whatever. Shane, I don't want to fight about this, but I do not want kids right now." Mitchie said firmly. Shane sighed, his warm hands moving back up her body. "I wish we could agree on this." She mumbled and Shane nodded. "But I don't want to give up my life for kids." Shane's eyes widened.

"I don't want you to give up your life either!" He protested, his eyes filled with hurt. "I just want to prove how much I love you." Mitchie laughed softly and not unkindly. Shane's eyes were fixed on her as she shifted in his arms to face him more directly.

"We don't need a baby to prove we're in love." She told him, pressing her lips to his slowly. Shane groaned into the kiss, feeling her body move under his. "I can't handle this; fighting with you." Mitchie whimpered, her hands in his hair. "I need you." Shane laughed softly, his kisses growing more and more hungry and fervent in response to her words. "We have to go see Nate and Jason." Mitchie remembered, pulling away slightly. Shane stared at her, not completely sure that she was actually choosing their friends over sex with him. "Sorry." She sighed, climbing out of bed and scooping his shirt off the floor, sliding her arms through it with ease.

Shane groaned, burying his face in her pillow, breathing in the mingled scent of her shampoo and light perfume. He heard the shower turn on, and he shut his eyes, fighting off the thoughts of her under the hot spray of water. If they weren't about to go meet their friends, he thought ruefully, she might let him join her in there.

* * *

Mitchie sat on Jason's couch, sandwiched by Jason on one side and Nate on the other. Shane pouted from the love seat. "Stop glaring at us; you've had her to yourself for the past two days. She's ours now." Jason stated, hugging Mitchie. She laughed, giving Shane her most charming smile.

"I want my wife back." He said glumly, and Nate shook his head, wrapping an arm around Mitchie's shoulders, who laughed awkwardly. She wasn't sure how Shane would react to Nate touching her again, after everything that had happened on the tour.

Shane noticed how Mitchie didn't relax into Nate's touch and smiled, somewhat relieved. "Let's watch a movie." Jason suggested, standing up. Mitchie rose as well, letting Nate's arm drop from it's previous position. She sat down next to Shane and curling into his side.

"Sounds good." Shane agreed, Mitchie's arms around his waist. She yawned once, resting her head on his shoulder and closing his eyes. Jason laughed to himself while Nate watched, a trace of sullenness in his eyes. Mitchie laid down, bringing Shane down with her. He pulled her closer, so her back was pressed against his chest. He rested his chin on her shoulder, breathing in her perfume. Jason grabbed a DVD and popped into the player. He sat back down on the couch, not noticing the thoroughly put out look on Nate's face.

* * *

"That was fun! We should do this again soon." Mitchie exclaimed, hugging Jason and Nate. Shane curled an arm around her waist, burying his face in her hair. She laughed, feeling his breath tickle her neck. Jason and Nate had observed the casual touches and smiles all through their get-together and both had formulated the same question. They now had to figure out who would be the brave soul to ask.

Jason paused, curious. Nate smiled encouragingly at his friend. "So have you guys thought about kids?" He wondered, looking back at Nate. Nate smiled again, though on the inside, he was trembling, waiting for an answer. He wasn't sure he could entirely handle Mitchie being pregnant. Since Nel had left him, his feelings for Mitchie had come creeping back, slowly but surely. Seeing her now, tangled in Shane's arms definitely did not help.

Shane's hands closed protectively over his wife's stomach, bringing her back to rest against him. "We haven't given much thought to kids just yet. After all, we're young." Mitchie smiled brightly at his blatant lie. He wasn't mad, that she could tell. And better yet, he had seen her side of things; or so it seemed.

Nate let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. Jason smiled, mulling over Shane's words. "Correction; Mitchie's young. You're practically a dinosaur, Mr. Twenty Years Old." He teased, and Shane rolled his eyes.

"Just because I'm the oldest of the four of us..." He trailed off, earning a small laugh from Mitchie and Nate. Nate watched the way she smiled when Shane bent down to breathe something in her ear. Her whole face lit up and she looked like she was hanging on his every word. In truth; she was.

"No, don't start. She's happily married to your best friend." Nate coached himself silently. Jason saw the dazed distant look in his eyes and gave him a sharp warning glance. Nate nodded slightly, reassuring Jason that he was back with them in reality. Reality sucked, he noticed, watching the curve of Mitchie's smile, directed at Shane. She looked up suddenly, interrupting his thoughts.

"I don't want to leave but we do have to go see my parents." Shane nodded, taking her hand. "We'll see you later though." she promised, hugging them both once more. They left, the door shutting behind them softly. Jason turned to Nate, a serious expression forming.

"Don't even think about it." He stated, and Nate looked slightly insulted. Jason rolled his eyes. "No, seriously. She loves him. Save your time and effort for a girl not already married to your best friend. There's a lot of them."

Nate ran one hand through his hair. "But I love her. She deserves so much." He pleaded. Jason stopped pacing to give his friend an intense look. Nate withered slightly, frowning at the expression on Jason's face.

"Shane is everything she wants. She deserves him; she's got him. Please don't try to ruin their happiness." Jason groaned, dropping back onto the couch. Nate sighed, crossing his arms and trying to think of a retort that would hold some value.

"I wouldn't be ruining anything. I'd be saving her from a bad marriage." Nate defended himself. Jason laughed without humor, not even giving his friend a second glance.

"They don't have a bad marriage. He worships the ground she walks on, and she brings him back down to Earth." Jason pointed out. "It doesn't get any better than 'Smitchie,' you know." He quipped with a smirk. "He's crazy about that woman, and he'll be damned if you try and take her from him." Nate shrugged, his eyes showing his distaste for Shane and Mitchie's relationship. Jason groaned, staring at his friend. "You're not going to try anything, are you?" He questioned.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about. I'm not going to seduce her, if that's what you mean. I have a little more class and subtlety than that. I'll be there for her, support her like the true friend I am—" He began, and Jason cut him off with a laugh.

"The true friend trying to break up her marriage and steal her from her loving, devoted husband." He snorted, closing his eyes as he continued to laugh. Nate frowned, tossing Jason a glare.

"Shut up. I'll be a true friend," another snort from Jason, "Shut up! Anyway, true friend, blah blah blah. Be there for her, support her, and all that. When—er, if—their marriage suddenly takes a nasty turn, I'll be there for her." Nate stated, his eyes blazing with emotion. Jason rolled his eyes, issuing a few short claps.

"You're a prize idiot. But I've warned you and I can't stop you. Just do what you want." Jason muttered, pulling a throw pillow over his face to muffle his laughter. "True friend. That was funny Nate." He called, still laughing quietly.

* * *

Mitchie sat on her parent's couch, Shane's head in her lap. He was gazing up at her, a blissful smile playing on his lips. "I love you." He declared. She whispered the words back to him as her parents entered the room. Shane stood up to shake her father's hand while Mitchie hugged her mother tightly. The four then reclaimed their seats. Shane sat beside Mitchie now, one hand entangled with hers and resting on her upper thigh. Mr. Torres looked between them sadly. His wife had given him a hint to their visit.

Mitchie spoke first. "Daddy, we got married." Her words, though anticipated, still burned his heart. Her mother smiled at the blissful expression on both of their faces, squeezing her husband's hand. He still looked a little pale. "Dad, say something." Mitchie begged. Shane remained silent, suddenly afraid for his well being.

Her father sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. His dark eyes bore into Shane's. "Why?" He whispered, staring at his son-in-law. "Why now? She's 18; she's just a baby." He pleaded, his face pale and his eyes red. He had a thought; a thought that made him want to go grab something sharp and preferably also deadly. "She's not pregnant, is she?"

Shane paled, turning to look at Mitchie, willing to let her handle this question. "I'm not pregnant." She declared, shifting uncomfortably under their gazes. "I'm not! Daddy, Shane and I haven't even slept together yet." She cast him a quick, unnoticeable glance, who blinked once. He was definitely not comfortable lying to this man who could, and most likely would kill or seriously maim him. However, he had visibly relaxed at his daughter's blatant lie, so he would play along.

"Alright. I believe you." He gave Shane a long glare. "Now I'm going to the gym to work out some frustration." He stood with a sigh, pressing a kiss to his wife's cheek and Mitchie's forehead. He glared at Shane. "Shane." He muttered, as Connie slid past him into the kitchen.

Shane smiled pleasantly, though when Mitchie looked more closely, she could see the clenching in his jaw. As her father walked past, Shane caught her by the chin and pulled her in for a long, rough kiss. Mr. Torres growled in the back of his throat and left the room.

Shane stood up, Mitchie following his action. She turned to face him. "What the heck was that?" She demanded, crossing her arms. Shane took a deep breathe, trying to calm down. Mitchie stood there, waiting for a response from her husband.

"He was pissed off at me for no reason. I gave him a reason." Shane explained, his voice still tight. Mitchie sighed, resting one hand on his arm. She lead him over to the door, looking up at him, a mixture of emotions behind her eyes.

"Momma, we're leaving." She turned back to Shane. "Take me home?" She asked softly, and he felt all his anger melt away. He nodded and opened the door for her. "I do feel bad for lying to Daddy like that, but it's best if he doesn't know how intimate we are." She told Shane, resting her head on his shoulder later in the car. Shane nodded.

"Speaking of intimacy," he began, "I want to take a shower when we get home. Join me?" It wasn't really a question, and they both knew it. She smiled up at him, the gentle innocent radiance not matching their conversation.

"I don't know Shane. I mean, I know we took showers together on the bus, but we weren't naked. I know we've had sex, but not in broad daylight where you can, you know, uhm, see me..." Shane put a finger over her mouth as he pulled off the road. He leaned over and kissed her hungrily. Glancing up to make sure the light was still red, he took both hands off the wheel to run up her shirt and give her chest his full attention.

"You're beautiful. If you think for one second I'm not going to like your body, you're absolutely wrong. It's taking so much of self control to not pull over and make love to you right now. I get turned on by everything you do; every touch, every taste, everything." Shane mumbled, his mouth on hers again. Mitchie was breathing heavily by the time he turned away to continue driving.

"Hurry up and get me home." She hissed in his ear, earning her a low chuckle and more speed. She tilted her head back against the headrest, until she was breathing normally again. Shane let his foot become heavy on the gas pedal until he pulled into their apartment complex's driveway. She blinked as he threw open her door, dragging her out and scooping her into his arms. She threw her arms around his neck, kissing him longingly. "I'm yours." She whispered, her breath mingling with his.

Shane laughed as he carried up the inside stairs to their new home. "That's good to know, as if the ring on your finger weren't enough proof." He teased, guiding her back to the bathroom and turning on the shower. She rolled her eyes as he pulled her under the hot downpour fully clothed, shoving her up against the wall and sliding a hand up her shirt.

"Shut up." She whimpered, as his deft fingers made quick work of her jeans and shirt, tossing them out of the shower to fall in a damp heap on the floor. Her own hands struggled with his pants, so he stepped away for a moment to shed them and his fitted shirt, when they soon joined her clothes.

"Make me."

* * *

_Sorry it's so short; I do all my writing in French class, and it turns out, we're actually supposed to be doing _work._ Huh. Who knew? Needless to say, writing opportunities might be scarce now, so two options._

_I) I update more quickly, maybe once a week, and they're about this length or shorter, depending on how much in-class work we get.  
_

_II) I update maybe once every two weeks or more, but when i do, they're much longer than this. _

_(This was 9 pages, NOT front and back in my french notebook; all writing was accumulated over one school week, in the span of 90 minutes a day; give or take.)  
_

_Thoughts? Share them. RBS!!! (Really Big Smile)_

_xoxo_

_Cecilia_


	32. Part II Chapter 3

_**This is Me**_

_**Part II**_

_**This is Real**_

_**EatSleepBreatheJonas**_

_So your responses to my query were pretty mixed; so I settled to make my updates mixed as well. So they're gonna be pretty crazy, maybe two a week, or maybe one in three weeks. It depends on when my roommate needs the computer, how much work we do in French, and other factors. But yeah. It should be at least one in three weeks, if not more. Hopefully it'll be more. I'm not sure. (RBS!)_

Shane sat on the kitchen counter, watching the toaster. Mitchie leaned against the counter, gazing up at him. "You know, staring at it like that isn't going to make it come faster." She reminded him. He cracked a small smile, his gaze not wavering from the kitchen appliance.

"That's what she said." He quipped, not flinching as Mitchie hit him lightly on the arm. He laughed quietly, looking down at her with a amused smile. "Sorry." He apologized, cracking another smile. She shook her head, biting her lip to keep back a grin. "You're smiling! I'm off the hook!" He exclaimed, pumping one fist in the air.

"You're terrible." She sighed, though Shane could hear a smile in her voice. "But seriously. I've been looking at colleges." She began, and Shane looked down at her, very confused. "I was serious when I said that I wanted to go to school." Mitchie told him, and he nodded. "I found a school I really like, the only thing is..." She didn't finish.

"Baby, what is it? You can tell me, whatever it is." Shane reassured her. "Tuition is not an—" Mitchie shook her head, indicating she knew the price tag was not the problem. "Then what's wrong?" He pressed, and she sighed, her soulful brown eyes meeting his own.

"It's in Colorado." Mitchie whispered. Shane froze, not sure if he had heard her correctly. "Boulder, Colorado, to be precise." She sighed, and Shane's hand found hers. He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, relishing the smoothness of her skin.

"It's okay. We'll get through this." He mumbled. Mitchie's head snapped up to look at him, incredulous. "Well, you're going, aren't you?" He asked sadly. "You'll definitely get in, and once you do, you'll go." Shane stated, his eyes fixed on hers. She didn't move.

"I don't know." She lied, tears welling up in her eyes. Shane sighed in frustration, withdrawing his hand from hers. Mitchie didn't look up at him; she stared blankly at the floor. Shane ran one hand through his hair, his eyes narrowed in irritation. Mitchie scuffed her toe at the tile on the floor.

"You're lying. You know if you get in, you'll go." Shane told her, and she ducked her head in admittance. "You'll go, and I'll come with you." He decided. For the second time, she jerked her eyes to his. "You don't think I'm going to let my wife go out there all by herself, do you?" He stated, his voice softer now. Mitchie turned around and stepped between his legs to hug him tightly.

"You'll really come with me?" She whispered, and he gazed down at her adoringly. Carefully, since he was so precariously balanced, he placed a hand at the back of her neck and pulled her in for a long kiss. Her arms tightened around his neck and she stood up on tiptoe to reach him more easily. His hands curved over her waist, as his tongue tasted her mouth.

"Maybe you've forgotten, but I love you. I can't be without you. Where you are is where I'm gonna be." He whispered, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. Mitchie smiled up at him radiantly, pressing her mouth to his again. "So did you get in?" He asked suddenly. She bit her lip, nodding. "I'm so proud of you." Shane mumbled, resting his forehead against hers.

"Shane...I think I have to do this on my own though." She whispered, looking up through her lashes to gaze at him. He blinked, not sure if he had heard her correctly. "I'm so sorry. I just think that it would be hard for you to be there with me, when your work is in New York." She explained. Shane shook his head, caressing her face.

"Honey, my work can be anywhere. I can be anywhere. I want to be with you. I need to be with you." Shane implored, sliding down off the counter and wrapping his arms around her from behind. "All I wanna do is be with you, be with you, there's nothing we can't do, just be with you, be with you, only you." Shane whispered softly, a musical quality hiding behind his soothing words. Mitchie leaned backwards, her head against his chest.

"Why do we do this to ourselves?" She wondered, eyes wide. Shane shrugged, bringing himself around so he was in front of her. He reached out for her hands and led her backwards to the couch. He sat down, pulling her onto his lap. Gently, he ran his nose along the hollow of her ear down her jaw, along her neck and finally nuzzling her collarbone. "Shane, we can't make this go away with sex."

"We can try." He retorted, grinning impishly. She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. Shane pulled her mouth down to his for a long embrace; his hands already playing with the hem of her shirt as he pushed her flat onto the couch. She shook her head again, keeping her mouth shut tightly. "Mitchie, don't be like that." He teased, kissing all around her mouth, then once gently on the lips. She didn't move.

"We can't just pretend this didn't happen." She stated, and as soon as she opened her mouth, Shane's mouth was against hers. She groaned in frustration, bucking her hips up against him in efforts to get him off of her. "Crud." She hissed, feeling him nudge in between her legs.

"Not the desired results, huh?" Shane smirked, sucking at her neck. She shook her head, feeling her defenses slowly weakening. "Too bad." He mumbled, rolling against her. She glared up at him through her bangs. "We can pretend this didn't happen." He added, struggling to get her shirt off. She kept her arms close to her side, smirking at him.

"Having some trouble?" She teased, pouting up at him. He grunted in frustration, tugging at her shirt. She wriggled out from under him, letting her hand graze the front of his jeans. "Oops." She grinned, turning on her heel and running back into their bedroom. Shane followed, tackling her onto the bed. Mitchie was screaming with laughter now, half-heartedly trying to fight him off. "Rape!" She screamed teasingly, yanking his head down to hers for a rough embrace. Shane eagerly nestled himself between her legs, his mouth on hers, searching and tasting her. "Those jeans getting a little tight?" She grinned, rolling her hips against him tauntingly. Shane groaned into her mouth, his hands under her body, pushing her up into him.

"You've developed a bit of a smartass gene, haven't you?" He grinned, thrusting against her roughly. She whimpered, glaring up at him teasingly. He laughed, shaking his hair out of his eyes, kissing her once more. Mitchie grinned, a slight flush spreading up her cheeks as he slid his hands under her cami.

"The bad news is, I've heard smart ass is genetic." She stammered out breathlessly. Shane sighed tragically, giving her a small gentle bite on the neck. She yelped in surprise, but was silent when he pressed his mouth to hers.

"I guess we'll have to pray our kids don't get that gene." He mumbled, and she nodded. Reality came sliding back into focus. She pulled away, sliding out from under him. He stared at her in disbelief. This was the second time in 24 hours she had turned down sex.

"We have to figure this out Shane. What are we going to do about Colorado?" She questioned, sitting up against the pillows. Shane sighed and ignored the ever growing sexual frustration he got from sitting near her. "I want to be with you, but it doesn't seem reasonable for you to just be laying around while I go to school." She stated. Shane sighed again, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"I want to be with you, but you do have a point. What if we got an apartment close to campus, or even on campus? Then, on weekends or breaks, I could come down and be with you." He suggested. "I wouldn't just be laying around out there, but I could still be with you." Mitchie considered this, a small smile growing.

"I think it's perfect." She declared, moving in to kiss him but pulling away at the last minute. "The paparazzi are going to love this, aren't they?" She realized, and Shane laughed, flipping his hair out of his eyes.

"They love us, period."

* * *

"Is that the last box?" Mitchie yelled, and Shane poked his head through the front door, giving her the thumbs up. She fell, exhausted, onto the couch with a satisfied smile. Her mother sat beside her, while her dad finished assembling the bed back in her new room. "I love this house." Mitchie stated, gazing around her. Shane entered, wiping his hair out of his eyes with the back of his palm. She stood up and ran to him, kissing him softly. "Thank you." She whispered, pulling away and smiling blissfully "It's everything I've wanted."

The one story 'house' sat on the outskirts of University of Colorado—Boulder School of Music, and was hidden from the main road by a tall line of hedges. Shane had found it by chance while they were touring the school and had made an offer immediately. Mitchie had moved in a week later. Her parents had traveled with her, bringing most of her belongings in Connie's van.

They had just finished unpacking, and her parents were on their way out of the house to their hotel. Shane kissed her again, softly enough that Mr. Torres couldn't protest. "I love you." He whispered against her lips, and she smiled, repeating the sentiment. "I love you so much; it's going to kill me to leave this house without you." He told her, resting his forehead against hers with their hands laced.

"Then don't leave just yet." She murmured, waving goodbye to her parents and leading Shane down a hallway to one of two bedrooms. "By the way, I'm thinking of getting a roommate. Just so I won't be so lonely." She said clearly, letting her parents think they would just talking. The door shut, and she bit her lip. Her parents were gone. Shane pushed open her bedroom door and let her walk through.

She stretched out on her bed, patting the spot next to her. "Come lay with me. You've worked hard all day." She declared, and he complied, slinging an arm over her waist and pulling her close. "It's going to be so weird not living with you." She said casually. Shane nodded, and she sighed. "I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too. Jason, Nate and I are going to be out here as often as we can be." Shane promised, their linked hands resting on her stomach. She smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "I hate to spoil this good mood; but when I was out getting groceries, there were a few cameras. I don't think they know about you yet...but stay low, okay?" He requested, and she nodded eagerly.

"The last thing I want to do is see my face across the National Inquirer or US Weekly." Mitchie told him, kissing his cheek softly. "But the first thing I want to do is christen this house as ours." Shane grinned, rolling over so he hovered above her temptingly.

"I'm your guy." He smirked, tracing one finger down her cheek, before pressing a delicate kiss to her mouth. Mitchie laughed, linking her hands behind his neck and smiling up at him knowingly.

"I figured you would be."

* * *

"I love you. Stay safe, and call me every chance you get, okay?" Shane held Mitchie close to him, his head resting on the top of hers. She nodded, one tear tracking down her face until it was absorbed by the material of Shane's shirt.

"The school called while you were asleep; they found a roommate. She's not crazy, not a stalker, and actually sounds kinda cool." Mitchie told him. Shane smiled, pulling back so he could see her face. She smiled up at him, letting him examine every detail of her. "What are you doing?" She wondered, giggling softly.

"Saving this moment in my head. You're gorgeous." Shane mumbled, kissing her softly. Mitchie sighed into the kiss, running her hands through his messy hair. "I don't want to leave." He groaned, pulling away for a moment.

"I don't want you to leave either. But it's only 4 weeks until the first break. That's only 28 days." She consoled him, and he winced, staring at her, his eyes dark with pain. "28 days Shane. What did you do before you met me? Just do that."

"You want me to be a total asshole to everyone I care about? I don't think so. 28 days. I might be up here sooner than that." He warned, smiling. She laughed, shrugging. "I might not even leave." He added as an afterthought.

"Nuh uh. Time to let me fly. Since Camp Rock, it's been 'Shane & Mitchie.' It's time to see what 'Just Mitchie' can do on her own." She whispered, bringing him close for one last kiss. "Your cab is here." She noticed, looking over his shoulder out the front window.

"Damn. Alright, I'll see you soon. I love you." He grabbed his suitcase and she walked with him to the door. "I love you so much. You just need to call and I'll be here, with Nate and Jason." He grinned, and she laughed softly.

"You're crazy. But I love you." She leaned against the door frame, blinking back tears as he threw his suitcase into the back of the cab. "See you soon Baby." She whispered, waving sadly as the cab pulled away.

* * *

The doorbell rang. "Coming!" Mitchie shouted, pulling a t-shirt over her head and walking quickly to the front door. She could see the silhouette of a girl standing outside. She opened it; blinking at all the glitter. "You must be my roommate." She smiled, holding open the door. The sparkly girl nodded with an equally sparkling smile. "Well, um, there's an empty room in the back, I'll help you get your stuff in."

"Thanks." The sparkly girl smiled, dragging two suitcases behind her. "I'll find my way back." She called over her shoulder, and Mitchie nodded. happily. The girl seemed normal, if she excused the ridiculous amount of glitter she had clinging to her wardrobe.

* * *

Shane sat on Jason's couch, staring at the ceiling. "It's been 5 days." He groaned, not moving. Jason looked up from his guitar and rolled his eyes. Shane closed his eyes, putting a fist to his chest. "My heart hurts. I need her." He muttered. Jason snorted, running the chords over and over again. "I'm gonna go get on a plane to see her." He decided, sitting up.

"Shane, honestly. I know you love her, but this is taking a bit far. Let her live a little!" Jason exclaimed, his eyes on Shane while his fingers worked the strings. Shane sighed, burying his head in his hands. Nate came into the room, dropping onto the couch. He gave Shane a confused look. Jason looked up, grimacing. "She hasn't called yet." He explained, and Nate nodded knowingly.

"I'm sorry man. But on the bright side, I've written so many more songs for the new record." He added brightly. Shane sighed again, staring off into space. "We've got some recording time booked for this weekend..." Nate stated, his tone cajoling. Shane didn't respond.

"Shane, snap out of it! 23 more days and then we can see her." Jason reminded him. Shane groaned, reaching for his cellphone. "Don't call her!" Jason snapped, yanking the phone from his friend's hand. "The goal is to not seem completely desperate. She hasn't called you; don't give in." Jason coached. Shane groaned again, closing his phone.

"But I miss her." He sighed, and Nate shrugged. "I want to be with her." Jason groaned; Mitchie had specifically told him to keep Shane occupied and happy. He was definitely failing her. She missed Shane terribly, but knew she would be better off in the long run if she could learn to be without him. Now Shane had to learn that lesson.

Jason's phone rang. He gave it a quick glance. "Hello?" He placed it against his ear, setting his guitar down and leaving the room. He looked around, before darting into his bedroom and shutting the door. The girl on the other line sighed.

"So I cracked. How is he?" Mitchie asked, sitting cross-legged on her roommate's bed while she hung up posters. Jason laughed bitterly; that was answer enough for her. "That bad, huh?" She wondered. Jason sighed.

"He's a wreck. He keeps talking about flying out there to see you." Jason told her, and Mitchie groaned. As much as she wanted to be with Shane, she knew she had to survive; if not for her sake but his. "We've talked him out of it a couple of times. I don't know how long Nate and I can keep him here though." Jason said regretfully.

"Alright. Well, I might surprise him this weekend." Mitchie whispered, even though she knew Shane wouldn't hear her anyway. Jason stared at the phone. "I'd be arriving sometime ridiculously early in the morning and meet up with you somewhere. Then, surprise!" She exclaimed quietly.

Jason chuckled to himself. "Next weekend, we have recording time booked. You can hide somewhere in the studio if you'd like." He offered, and Mitchie smiled triumphantly, smiling at her roommate, giving her a thumbs up.

"Sounds great. I'll call again when I have my plane ticket." Mitchie told him, and hung up. "I'm so excited. I get to surprise Shane!" She squealed to her new friend. The girl stared at her for a long moment.

"Shane." Mitchie nodded excitedly. "Shane...Shane Grey?" The sparkly girl questioned. Mitchie nodded slowly. "The Shane Grey from Connect 3?" She asked. Mitchie nodded again. "Ohmigawd."

Mitchie stared at her. "You know, you've been officially living with me for half an hour and I still don't know your name." She mentioned. The girl laughed, and finished hanging up a huge poster of Nate. Mitchie blinked. This was getting weird.

"My name is Stacy." She called over her shoulder, and Mitchie nodded. "Don't worry...I don't like your husband." She offered. Mitchie stared at her.

"How do you know we're married?" She asked quickly. Stacy stared at her in disbelief, then started laughing. Mitchie wrinkled her nose in confusion. "Why are you laughing?" She sat down on the bed, crossing her arms.

"Because everyone knows you're married. It's been on the cover of like, every magazine." Stacy managed to breathe through her peals of laughter. Mitchie paled, and reached for her cell phone. "Oh jeez...don't freak out. I'm sure no one saw it." Stacy rushed to reassure her. Mitchie groaned.

"Jason; it's me again. Tell me that my marriage isn't on the front of magazines." Mitchie begged. Jason winced. He had known this was coming. "Jason." She breathed, horrified. He sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Well...we got a couple of calls from our publicist." Jason admitted. A quick curse word from Mitchie had him rush to continue. "But we told them that we didn't have a comment." Mitchie stared at the phone, horrified.

"You do realize that's admitting that we are married, right?" Mitchie moaned, and Jason sat there, stupefied. He hadn't even realized that. "Does Shane know?" She whispered, and Jason shook his head. "Jason, stop answering with your head, I can't see you." Mitchie reminded him.

"Oh. No he doesn't know, at least, I don't think he does." Jason reassured her. She let out a long sigh of relief, and gave Stacy a small smile. "But then again, it's Shane. He could know everything." He reminded her.

"Thanks Jason." Mitchie groaned, glaring at the phone. "I'm gonna go now. Remember, you haven't talked to me." With that, she hung up. Jason sighed and went back out to the living room. Shane glanced at him inquisitively.

"Don't worry about it. Mom was calling about Christmas and whatever." Jason subbed, and Nate looked very confused. He opened his mouth to speak, then paused. It was Jason; maybe he didn't honestly want to know what he meant. No, he decided, it would be best not to ask.

* * *

Shane stood behind the microphone glumly. "16 more days." He moaned, his voice bouncing off the walls of the room. Nate and Jason grinned at each other from behind Shane's back. Shane slumped forward, staring off into space. The producer groaned and rested his head on his hand.

"Shane, show some life!" He shouted, turning as the door opened. A young woman entered, her face hidden by a file. "Hold on guys." Nate elbowed Shane, pointing to the woman's legs.

"Check out her." He grinned and Shane rolled his eyes, though he did look up for a brief moment. Jason muffled his laughter with a coughing fit. Shane sighed, looking down and scuffing his toe against the plush carpet of the studio.

"Shane, you've got a memo." He looked up, and felt his body go numb as the girl handed their producer the file, revealing her beaming face. He didn't move. Nate pinched him once, and he shot out from behind the microphone and flung open the door to the room. "Your wife is here." The producer mumbled, laughing quietly.

"Holy crap." Shane breathed, pulling her into his arms for a long hug. "How are you here?" He spun her around, examining her as though he doubted that she was real. "You're here." He exclaimed, crushing his mouth onto hers.

"Shane, honey, not here." She laughed, pulling away awkwardly. "I'm coming home with you, we can, er, catch up later, I promise." Mitchie kissed his cheek lightly and turned at the sound of knocking on the door. "Oh, that must be my roommate. She came with me." Nate looked up, curious. He saw the sparkles first, and he felt something in his stomach tighten. It couldn't be her.

Stacy entered the room, holding two cups of coffee. "Mitchie, I wasn't sure how you liked yours, so I put in one sweetener, and one—" Nate had flung open the door and was standing in front of her. Mitchie looked between them, very confused. Jason had fainted.

"Stacy?" Nate breathed, staring at her. She nodded, a giddy feeling rushing through her body. Jason made a faint grunting sound, but didn't stir. Shane was very confused, while Mitchie continued to stare between them.

"Do you two know each other?" She asked slowly, and both Nate and Stacy nodded once, their eyes never moving from each other. "Wow. Didn't see that coming." Mitchie commented, shifting awkwardly.

_So today was voting day. As I type this, the electoral votes stand at 135—McCain, 207—Obama. I'm not going to tell you who I am favoring, because that's not what is for. Feel free to tell me, but not in a review please. (RBS!)_

_So who saw the Stacy thing coming before it was revealed? Bonus Jonas Points (BJP) for youuu!! Review. (RBS AGAIN!!) If you don't remember Stacy, then I suggest you go read Chapter 22 again. Oh. And thump yourself in the head. How could you forget STACY?? You didn't think I'd just move on without her, did you???(RBS!!) I just can't seem to stop doing that tonight.  
_

_And yeah. This was not a week, nor was it two weeks. And it was 9 pages typed out. (RBS) Don't expect this to become a regular thing though, I'm sad to inform you. I had a long (5 day) weekend, and spent it holed up in bed with my notebook, a ridiculous amount of Snickers bars, Sprite, and for about 4 hours, my boyfriend. Haha. But you didn't hear that from me. (Sssh.)_

_xoxo_

_Cecilia  
_


	33. Part II Chapter 4

_**This is Me**_

_**Part II**_

_**This is Real**_

_**EatSleepBreatheJonas**_

_So I'm actually pretty surprised how fast I'm getting these up; considering I said it would be every two weeks. I never cease to amaze myself. Haha. Song for the moment:_

_"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone  
I'll be waiting, all there's left to do is run  
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess  
It's a love story  
Baby, just say yes"_

Love Story—Taylor Swift

* * *

Nate and Stacy continued to stare at each other. Mitchie shifted awkwardly from foot to foot. "You never called." Nate muttered. Stacy stared at him, her outfit sparkling and glittering in a way much too cheerful for their conversation.

"I didn't know you wanted me to call." She retorted. Nate laughed, incredulous. Jason twitched on the floor, mumbling into the carpet. Stacy crossed her arms, waiting for Nate's rebuttal.

"Of course I wanted you to call! I wouldn't give you my number if I didn't want you to call!" Nate exclaimed. Stacy sighed, her cheerful attitude gone now. Mitchie squeezed Shane's hand to get his attention and nodded towards the door. He smiled softly and they crept over, leaving.

"Well you're Nate Black! Maybe you were just flirting with me!" Stacy protested, blinking back tears. Nate rolled his eyes, not believing she could be so obtuse.

"Flirting with you was telling you that you were pretty. Flirting with you was asking to make my dreams come true. Giving you my number? Yeah, that was letting you know I was serious." Nate told her. Stacy smiled weakly. Nate paused, choosing his words carefully now. He had exploded; now it was time to remedy the situation. "So what are you doing tonight?" He asked, and Stacy giggled.

"Are you asking me out, Mr. Black?" Stacy asked, fighting back a smile. Nate nodded seriously, a faint blush creeping up his cheeks. She pretended to consider his offer for a moment before nodding happily. "I'd love to do something with you." Nate sighed in relief.

"I guess I'll pick you up around 7?" He suggested, and she nodded, smiling. "I'd suggest we go find Shane and Mitchie." He said her name, he noticed, without any feeling of wanting, "but I'm afraid we'll walk in on something we really don't want to see." Stacy laughed awkwardly, nodding.

"She really missed him." She commented, grinning. "She 'borrowed' my Shane poster." Nate smiled uncomfortably. Stacy noticed and was quick to add, "I have more posters of you though; and I really don't want the Shane one back, now that's Mitchie's had it. It's probably covered in lip gloss." She reassured him, and he laughed softly.

"It's strange that I find that so reassuring." He teased, casting Jason a weird look. "How long has he been on the ground like that?" He asked, as Jason stood up woozily.

"That was so weird. I could have sworn I saw that girl we set you up wi—" He stopped, staring at Stacy. She smiled brightly and gave him a little wave. Jason whimpered a little as his eyes rolled back in his head and his knees gave out from under him. Nate stared at him.

"Aww crap. Hang on. Let me call someone to take care of Jason." He walked over to the door and pressed the intercom button. "Jason fainted...can you send someone to make sure he's okay?" He asked, and smiled at the affirmative reply. "Alright. We can go on a Smitchie Hunt now."

* * *

Shane and Mitchie sat in one of the executive meeting rooms, curled together against a wall. "You know, they probably think we're having hot passionate sex on a table." Mitchie laughed, sitting on her husband's lap.

Shane grinned wolfishly and tickled her sides lightly. "I wouldn't mind." He mumbled in her ear. She laughed and he began to tickle her again. Shrieking with laughter, Mitchie wriggled away from him. Determined to not let his new prey escape, Shane fell on top of her, hands still torturing her stomach.

"Mercy!" She screamed, nearly hysterical in her giggles. Shane shook his head and she continued to try and fight him off. "Wait—I have an idea." Shane stopped for a moment, allowing her to speak. "They're probably looking for us. This is our chance to freak them out." Mitchie explained, her eyes sparkling deviously.

Shane caught on quickly. "Let's put our singer's lungs to good use." He smirked, winking at her before tickling her again.

* * *

Nate and Stacy crept along the hallway of the recording studio. "I have no idea where she could be." Stacy groaned, looking around. Nate thought for a moment, trying to put himself in Shane's shoes.

"She's with Shane, so he's probably fucking her." He spat, momentarily disgusted by his friend. Stacy winced at his harsh language. "Sorry, but it's true. All of the recording rooms are booked; he wouldn't do her in a closet, which means he's in one of the meeting rooms." Nate declared, setting off for the nearest room. Stacy followed a bit apprehensively. She stopped halfway down the hallway.

"Do you hear that?" She reached out to grab Nate's arm, successfully halting him mid-step. He fell silent, listening intently. He knew they'd be in one of the closest rooms; Shane wouldn't want to wait and find a room in one of the emptier halls of the building.

"Oh GOD SHANE!" Nate stared at Stacy, a disgusted look slowly spreading over both their faces. "Oh yes, don't stop!" Stacy winced, wrinkling her nose as more breathy moans filled the hallway.

Nate groaned as Shane could be heard. "Mitchie, I'm so close!" He blanched, his hand on the doorknob of the room. Stacy nodded encouragingly, knowing they had to retrieve their friends eventually.

"It's nothing we haven't seen before." She reminded him and she pushed the door open a little to peer inside the room. She laughed in shock. "I don't believe it." She breathed, turning to stare at Nate. "They totally fooled us. Shane was tickling her." She pushed the door all the way open to reveal Shane and Mitchie, fully dressed, shaking with laughter. Shane had collapsed on top of her, his head on her chest as they neared hysterics.

"That was not funny. I seriously thought you were having sex." Nate tried to glare, but cracked a smile instead. The couple was still laughing and Stacy had joined them. "Well it could have been worse, I suppose," Nate mused. "You could have actually been having sex."

Mitchie continued to laugh, her hands tangled in Shane's hair, holding his head to her chest. "Not that I mind, but I'm kind of using your chest as a pillow" Shane mumbled, pressing closer to Mitchie. She laughed softly, releasing her grip on his head. She yawned softly, closing her eyes briefly. "Tired baby?" Shane murmured as Nate and Stacy crept out of the room; feeling the fluffiness of the situation rising rapidly. "Let me take you home." Shane whispered, standing up and scooping her into his arms.

Nate glanced out the window down the hall and turned on his heel back into the room. "Some photographers are outside." He told Shane, who groaned. "They know we're in here with Mitchie." He added.

Shane groaned again and shifted a sleepy Mitchie in his arms. "Mitchie, honey, I need you take off your rings and give them to Nate until we're in the limo." He said, slowly trying to stir her from her sleep.

She muttered something and pulled all 3 rings off and dropped them into Nate's open hand. "I wanna walk." She decided, wriggling out of Shane's arms. At his look, she smiled confidently. "I'll be fine." She reassured him, taking his hand with another smile.

* * *

"Shane! Mitchie! Do you have a comment on your relationship?" A man yelled, thrusting a recording at them. Mitchie ducked her head into Shane's shoulder, keeping her arm tucked through his. He didn't say anything but wrapped an arm around her waist protectively.

"Mitchie! Is it true you married Shane in Las Vegas?" Another screamed. She couldn't help it; Mitchie let out a delicate snort and laughed quietly. Listening closely, she could hear Shane laughing as well.

"Shane, where is your purity ring?" They both froze for a split second, exchanging a look of panic, but regained their quick stride and kept walking. Security ushered them into the back of a limo, keeping it open just long enough for the others to scramble inside. Nate shut the door and the limo slid into motion.

"That was awful." Mitchie breathed, her head resting on Shane's shoulder. She yawned and closed her eyes, snuggling into her husband. Nate silently passed over her rings and she slid them on gratefully.

"Go to sleep Mitchie. I'll wake you up when we're home." Shane murmured. Her body relaxed in sleep and he sighed contentedly. He kissed the top of her head lovingly. "God I'm glad you're here." He mumbled, stroking her hair.

* * *

Mitchie fell into bed that night, instantly curling into his side. Shane pulled her closer, breathing in her scent. "Would you be totally upset if I just wanted to hold you tonight?" Mitchie looked up at him, and he continued. "I mean, we can make love all day tomorrow until you can't walk, but right now, I just want you in my arms." Mitchie smiled, biting her lip to keep from laughing.

"Shane, I'm fine with just being in your arms. You don't even need to make love to me tomorrow...unless of course, you really want to do so." She teased, kissing him softly. He laughed lowly, easing his head back into the mountain of pillows on their bed.

"I'm so happy you're home. Let's see what tomorrow brings." Shane whispered, closing her eyes. Mitchie snuggled closer, delighting in the warmth that radiated from his body. "I love you." He declared, wrapping his arms around her waist in satisfaction.

"I love you too." Mitchie breathed, closing her eyes and letting her body relax as sleep overcame her.

* * *

The whole group sat at the table next morning. Shane opened the newspaper and sighed, showing to Mitchie. "We're a hot topic." He grinned, and she laughed, leaning in to read it. Her eyes scanned the page quickly, picking out details.

"How do they know where I go to school?" She asked suddenly, her eyes betraying her fear. Shane followed her finger to the part of the article that discussed 'Mrs. Grey's recent arrival at the University of Colorado Boulder School of Music.' He closed his eyes briefly, gaining control over his temper.

He dropped the paper. "They think you're pregnant too. I don't care what that school says, you and Stacy aren't going back until you've got security with you." He declared, and Nate nodded enthusiastically, casting a protective look at Stacy.

Mitchie rolled her eyes but nodded too. "I would feel much better." She admitted, kissing Shane's cheek. Nate thought of something, and he paled. Waiting for the couple to stop staring at each other, he looked down, trying to organize his thoughts.

"Just to reassure me, can it be a girl bodyguard?" He piped in, his eyes wide. "I just don't want some dude trying to get with my girl."

Shane rolled his eyes. "Nate, they'd be professional. They wouldn't hit on Stacy. They wouldn't even try it with Mitchie; they know I'd kill them and fire them. In that order." He stated, rocking back in his chair casually. Mitchie stared at him in a mixture of disbelief and awe. Stacy sputtered indignantly.

"Your girl?" She shot at Nate, who blushed and rearranged his scrambled eggs. Mitchie laughed and sat down on Shane's lap so she faced him. Nate stood up and offered his hand to Stacy. She took it carefully and he lead her out of the kitchen and into the living room.

"Do you want to be my girlfriend?" He asked calmly, though inside he was shaking. She pretended to consider it for a moment, mulling over the pros and cons in this situation. She threw herself at him, her arms flung around his neck as she kissed him firmly. Nate pulled away, his face serious. "Is this a yes?" She laughed and nodded, and he smiled, kissing her again.

Shane looked up at Mitchie. "Feed me?" He requested, grinning. She laughed and pulled his plate into her lap, pressing a forkful of eggs into his mouth.

"Happy?" She teased, letting him swallow before offering him a piece of waffle. He nodded, catching the waffle in his teeth and pulling it into his mouth.

"Kiss?" He puckered his lips comically and she laughed, shaking her head. "Kiss baby." He pouted, his eyes looking up at her.

"Your lips are all syrupy." She pointed out, and he instantly ran his tongue over his lips. "Better." She whispered, pressing her mouth to his. "You taste like syrup." She murmured, opening her mouth to his embrace.

* * *

Stacy pulled away, grinning at Nate. "So about that body guard..." She began, pursing her lips in thought. Nate nodded seriously, watching her carefully.

"It's a must. I don't want you alone." Nate whispered. "All alone in that house, just you and Mitchie. When the paparazzi finds out where Mitchie lives, how are you going to get rid of them?" Stacy sighed in defeat.

"Alright, fine. You win." She admitted grudgingly. Nate smiled in triumph, doing a small victory dance in the middle of the living room. Stacy burst out laughing, watching her boyfriend drop to his knees and pump his fist in the air.

"Shane and I will start screening candidates tomorrow. Girls only." He grinned at her. Stacy smiled weakly in agreement. "And maybe...maybe this girl could get with Jason?" Nate suggested, sitting down on the couch.

Stacy sat down next to him. "That would be unprofessional, remember?" She teased. Nate laughed, pushing himself onto her, staring her down.

"So does that make this unprofessional?" He wondered aloud, kissing her tenderly. Stacy laughed, wrapping a curl around her finger and smiling up at him blissfully.

"Maybe just a little. But don't worry; I won't tell your manager." She whispered, bringing her mouth up to his, lips barely brushing teasingly.

* * *

_Yay for State. HAHA!! THEY HAVE SUCH A WEIRD COUPLE NAME! Well...it was that or Nacy. Hmmm...thoughts? This one was shorter. 6 pages typed; about 9 in my notebook._

"_Romeo, save me  
They try to tell me how I feel  
This love is difficult, but it's real  
Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess  
It's a love story  
Baby, just say yes"_


	34. Part II Chapter 5

_**This is Me**_

_**Part II**_

_**This is Real**_

_**EatSleepBreatheJonas**_

_So apparently...nope. I got nothin. Enjoy? Song for the moment;_

_  
"I'm only up when your not down.  
Don't wanna fly if your'e still on the ground.  
It's like no matter what I do.  
Well you drive me crazy half the time;  
the other half im only trying to let you know that what I feel is true.  
And I'm only me when I'm with you."_

"Only Me When I'm With You"—Taylor Swift

* * *

Brielle climbed out of bed, tugging at her coppery hair that had fallen out of its restraint while she slept. She glanced at the calendar and stared into the mirror, arching one eyebrow.. She could do this; this was her chance to prove herself. Her boss had silently handed her the sheet of paper a week ago with a small smile. She had scanned it quickly, heart racing. Yes, this was her chance. Shane Grey, she cracked a small smile, was looking for a bodyguard for his wife and a friend of hers.

Pulling on her jacket, she walked out of her apartment carefully and into the slush of the streets of Chicago. Hailing a cab instantly, she gave the driver the address and continued to fix her hair and makeup. She definitely needed to make a good impression. Pulling her hair back and clipping it, she quickly dusted a light powder over the freckles on her nose, scowling in the mirror. Her one drawback was, she thought reflectively, that small pattern of dots across her nose and cheekbones. Her vivid green eyes looked back at her, and she narrowed them carefully. Yes, she decided, the look was intimidating but not daunting. If she could prove herself, she almost certainly had this job.

* * *

Shane and Nate sat at a table, reviewing five resumes over and over again. Mitchie and Stacy had narrowed them down to girls they could tolerate. They had already seen the first four and they were not impressed. Shane looked over at Nate. "We might as well bring the last girl in here." He muttered unenthusiastically. Nate nodded slowly, giving a thumbs up to the security detail at the door to the room they were in. The man opened the door and Nate choked on his water, staring at the woman who entered. Shane elbowed him sharply. "Stacy." He muttered and Nate shook his head, clearing his thoughts.

"Oh. Right. Uhm. Hi..." He stole a glance at the last resume Shane had pushed over to him. "Brielle." He smiled pleasantly. She didn't return his smile, merely gave one cold, calculating glance to Shane and then meeting his own gaze. Her arms were behind her back, and her feet rested shoulders' width apart. He looked over at Shane. He was watching her, interested. "Dang." He whispered, reading over her statistics. He looked up again. "Brielle; it says here you're pretty good with firearms." She smiled coldly, and he flinched. She didn't move. "When it says pretty good...?" He trailed off, gesturing for her to explain.

"It means if a man has his hands on either your girlfriend or," she looked at Shane blankly, "your wife, and I happen to have a gun in my hand...well if I can see him, then I can kill him." Shane smiled appreciatively. "And I happen to have several guns secreted about my person right now." The security at the door made a move for her, but halted as Shane rose one hand, shaking his head at them. "All easily accessible, I assure you." Nate paled, but Shane continued to smile, pleased with this choice.

"I think we've found our newest security member." Shane looked at Nate, and out of the corner of his eye saw Brielle slacken in relief. She instantly snapped back to her previous stance, her eyes fixed on the wall behind Shane. "Congratulations. Mrs. Grey's flight departs tomorrow morning, 8 am precisely. I'd like to meet you here at 6 am to go over specific details regarding the arrangements." Shane rose, crossing the room in a few strides to shake her hand. Nate rose as well, giving her one last smile.

"I'm very confident leaving Stacy in your hands." He commented, offering her hand. Brielle shook it, not flinching under his grip. Quite the opposite, she locked eyes with him and matched, if not overpowered, his grip. "Your very strong hands." Nate added, pulling away and glancing at his hand. "Quite a grip you've got there."

Brielle smiled faintly. "In my job, you need it."

* * *

Mitchie smiled at Shane. "Did you pick one?" She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, looking up at him adoringly. He nodded, pressing his lips to her forehead. She smiled again, playing with the hair at the back of his neck. "Which one?" She wondered, and Shane grinned.

"Brielle. She's a beast with a gun." He commented, and Mitchie smiled knowingly. She had known all along that both Nate and Shane would like Brielle. Plus, she and Stacy might have rigged the five resumes they sent in, knowing Brielle would, hands down, be the best. There was something about the girl that intrigued both of them. She had seemed so quiet and introverted. She needed a friend, Mitchie had decided. She and Stacy were just the people for Brielle; so she had made it so. Shane would never have to know just how devious his wife could be. She smiled up at him , tucking her hand into his arm.

"I thought you'd like her." She murmured, turning over her shoulder to grin at Stacy in triumph. Plan "Save The Redhead" was a go.

* * *

Brielle left the room the next morning, her brain bursting with knowledge from Shane and Nate's 'overview' of Mitchie and Stacy, respectively. She knocked on their bedroom doors sharply. "I'll be in the kitchen, ready to go over some details. Whenever you're ready. Your flight leaves in an hour and a half." She reminded them.

Stacy and Mitchie emerged out of their rooms ten minutes later, looking somewhat put together. Brielle stood at the table. "Good morning." She said blankly, pointing at the chairs in front of her. "Sit." She instructed. Stacy and Mitchie dropped into the chairs, confused.

"Here's the thing. I have a gun. In fact, I have several guns. I don't mind using them on various things, including locks and people. I'm going to be around you 24/7, except when you sleep. But even then, I will be nearby. If I hear you scream; I will intervene. If the screaming continues; I will not hesitate to shoot the assailant. It might be with my stun gun, or it might be with a real gun. They're taking that risk." Stacy blinked at her. "Well, I might warn them, tell them to stop, blah blah blah..." Brielle waved one hand, smiling without emotion. Mitchie breathed in relief. "But it's my job to protect you. And my weapon of choice are guns."

* * *

"I can't believe they made me surrender my guns." Brielle grumbled, slouching in her seat on the airplane. Stacy shrugged sympathetically and Mitchie patted her hand. Brielle snatched it away. "I don't like being touched." She explained briefly, not looking at Mitchie, who shifted awkwardly.

"I'm sorry." She offered sincerely, and Brielle nodded stiffly. "I miss Shane." Mitchie whimpered a moment later, pulling her hair into a high ponytail. Stacy smiled knowingly.

"But he, Nate and Jason are coming out in a few weeks." She reminded Mitchie. She turned to Brielle. "Maybe you and Jason could get together." Their bodyguard rolled her eyes, not glancing away from her book. "No really! I bet he would like you." Stacy pushed, grinning at Mitchie. "You could be really good together."

Brielle dropped her book and frowned. "I don't want or need a boyfriend. Especially now that I've got this job." She stated. Mitchie paused, glancing at her cautiously, choosing her words carefully.

"Do the 'no touching' and 'no boyfriend' things go together?" She asked quietly. Brielle froze for a moment, her eyes darting out the window of the plane. Slowly, she nodded. "What happened?" Mitchie asked, reaching for her hand, but jerking it back slightly, remembering what had happened moments before.

Brielle shook her head sadly. "It's not a story for right now. Not here." She whispered, tracing shapes in the fog of the window. She snapped back to her cold demeanor, angry at herself for letting her guard down for those brief seconds. "It doesn't matter." She added bluntly.

Mitchie blinked, confused by the sudden change. "Okay..." She muttered softly. Stacy shrugged and pulled out her iPod, pointing to the now unlit 'no electronics' sign that was above them. Mitchie sighed and settled back into her seat, reaching for her own music.

* * *

Shane glanced around the room once more. No, it was definitely not here. He sighed and reached for his cellphone. "Mitchie?" He hated calling her, it made the pain of missing her worse; more intense.

"Hey baby." Mitchie dropped her textbook and crawled backwards into the pile of pillows on her bed. She settled into them, kicking off her shoes and curling her feet up under her legs. Shane smiled at the sound of her voice.

"I miss you." He stated, falling backwards onto their bed, onto a pile of brightly colored clothing. "Speaking of clothes..." He added. Mitchie laughed innocently, knowing where this was going. Idly, she rubbed the silky material of his shirt that she wore. "Half my shirts a re gone, a few pairs of jeans, and at least eight pairs of boxers are missing. Any thoughts on where they might be?" Shane asked, grinning now. Mitchie laughed, feeling her cheeks heat up lightly at being caught.

"But I replaced everything, I promise. Nate and Jason have the bags with the new stuff." Mitchie told him, smiling widely. Shane chuckled, not moving from the bed. "I just wanted...no, needed clothes that smelled like you." She added. "I miss you."

Shane nodded. "And I really don't want to tell you this, but I know I have to...they're adding a 6 month tour to promote the new CD." He whispered. Mitchie stifled a cry, burying her face in a pillow. She took a few breaths.

"That's...great!" She offered, her voice shaking slightly. "When am I going to see you?" She mumbled, her voice cracking again as tears began to fill her eyes. She dabbed at her eyes frantically, determined to not cry.

Shane shut his eyes for a moment, pressing the phone to his ear. "I honestly don't know. I want it to be as soon as possible, but with college and the tour, I just don't know how we're going to do it." Mitchie choked back a sob, her eyes wide with unshed tears.

"I know and I understand. I don't like it though." She brushed away the first tears that fell. "I'll talk to you later. I love you." She hung up and buried her face in the blankets, finally letting go of her emotions and screaming. into the quilts. Brielle knocked on the door, the other hand on her gun.

"I hear screaming. You have three seconds to tell me you're okay, or I'll enter." Brielle paused, slowly counting to three aloud. She hesitated a split second longer, then shoved her body against the door. Her heart rate spiked. "Mitchie, why is the door locked?" Mitchie didn't answer, her screams echoing through the door. Brielle groaned and rattled the doorknob once more. "I hate replacing locks." She muttered, shooting the lock off the door and entering. She stopped short when she saw Mitchie, sprawled on the bed, alone, face buried in the blankets. "Uhhh..." Brielle switched on the safety and set the gun of the side table.

"Shane is going on tour for 6 months. He won't be able to come see me anytime soon." Mitchie whispered, trying to calm down. Brielle shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to say. "6 months. I don't think I can handle that." She whimpered, clutching at the blankets.

Brielle stared at her. "I'm sorry." She whispered, turning to leave. "I'll leave you alone I guess." She reached for her gun, and started towards the door. Mitchie choked back a sob, shaking her head.

"Please don't leave. I can't be alone right now." Mitchie pleaded, her eyes filled with tears. Brielle turned and faced her. She sat on the edge of the bed. "Brielle, can I tell you something?" Brielle nodded sincerely, looking into Mitchie's tear-filled eyes.

"You can tell me anything." Mitchie took a deep, shuddering breath, curling her legs under her body. Her body was shaking with her sobs, and as she leaned forward, her hair fell forward to shield Brielle's view of her.

"I think I'm pregnant."

* * *

Brielle and Stacy paced the room, while Mitchie sat on the bed, knees drawn up to her chest. "I can't tell Shane. He's got that stupid tour." She exclaimed through her tears. Stacy watched her carefully from her circle she had worn into the ground.

"You know, if you told him, he'd do anything to get here." She reminded Mitchie. "Anyway...why do you think you're pregnant?" Mitchie blushed lightly, her eyes glazing over with the memory.

"We were in the shower and neither of us bothered to get a condom?" Stacy blushed a well, but nodded slightly, encouraging her to continue her reasoning. "And that was 2, 3, maybe a month ago. I'm 3 weeks late." Brielle winced.

"The odds aren't looking good...but we should take you to a doctor anyway, just to be sure. But then again, there's the chance that the paparazzi will find out. We definitely don't want Shane to find out that way." Brielle mused, pacing again. Stacy sighed, sitting next to Mitchie on the bed.

"You know Shane will be happy, don't you?" She whispered. Mitchie nodded forlornly, resting her head on her knees. "He'll worship the ground you walk on, even more than usual." Mitchie laughed without humor.

"I know how much he wants kids. I want him to be happy, but I'm only 18 years old." She explained. Stacy nodded, understanding. Mitchie picked her head up, revealing the horrible condition of her eye makeup that was tracking its way down her face. "Maybe we should tell him anyway." Stacy suggested. Brielle's eyes snapped to Stacy. "What? It wouldn't hurt for him to know."

Brielle crossed her arms. "Because once we tell him she's," she pointed at Mitchie, "pregnant, he's going to rush to be with her. And you think the paparazzi won't find that suspicious at all?" She stared at Stacy, who wilted under the redhead's gaze.

"I guess you have a point. But we do need to take her to a doctor. We can pretend I'm the one who's sick, and she's coming along because you can't leave either one of us alone." Stacy declared. Brielle opened her mouth to protest and shoot the plan down but stopped.

"That might work." Mitchie groaned, running a hand through her hair. Brielle and Stacy continued to plot the visit to the doctor's office.

"I guess I don't get a choice in this?" Mitchie asked, not really expecting an answer. Brielle and Stacy shook their heads, smiling brilliantly at her. "Great. Do you want to make an appointment for...well, as soon as possible?"

Stacy pulled out her cell phone, dialing. "I can do that." Brielle continued to pace, thinking over every possible situation. Mitchie curled up into a ball, tears continuing to fall.

"If you're not pregnant, we don't even need to let Shane know about this...but if you are...what do you want to do?" She perched on Mitchie's dresser, blinking at her. Mitchie shrugged.

"It's not like his jerk of a manager would let him off the tour anyway. There's no point in telling him until I see him." Brielle laughed at her words.

"What are we? A Disney movie? Jerk!" she mimicked, grinning at Mitchie to show she meant no harm. "But honestly, if you're pregnant, he deserves to know. Besides, what if you don't tell him, and he comes to see you? He sees you pregnant and all he knows is he's been on tour for 6 months. Any other guy would assume you had cheated on him."

Mitchie froze, the words registering in her brain. "Oh crap. You're right." She whispered. "I think we should tell him regardless." Mitchie added, feeling slightly nauseous at the thought of even hypothetically cheating on Shane. Brielle nodded, grabbing her own phone and tossing it to Mitchie.

"No time like the present."

* * *

_Hmmm. Thoughts? 7 pages. What do you think will happen?? Yeah. This author's note totally SUCKS. I know. It's almost 11, and I was up til 3 am this morning with my high school marching band. Our team made it to play offs, and the game was near Rock Hill, which is like, a 4 hour drive for us. We didn't get to school til 1 am, and then, of course, I HAD to go to Waffle House. _


	35. Part II Chapter 6

_**This is Me**_

_**Part II**_

_**This is Real**_

_**EatSleepBreatheJonas**_

_Happy early Thanksgiving. I'm thankful for all my wonderful readers, who share their thoughts and opinions on my story every time I update. I'm thankful for my family and friends, and I'm thankful for the Jonas Brothers. Tee hee._

_  
Hello there, the angel from my nightmare  
The shadow in the background of the morgue  
The unsuspecting victim of darkness in the valley  
We can live like Jack and Sally if we want  
Where you can always find me  
We'll have Halloween on Christmas  
And in the night we'll wish this never ends  
We'll wish this never ends_

"I Miss You"—Blink 182

* * *

"Hello?" His voice didn't sound like him at all, Mitchie thought, but maybe he was getting sick. Yes, that had to be it.

"Hey baby. You don't sound like yourself. Are you feeling okay?" Mitchie asked calmly, though inside she was freaking out. A short, harsh laugh filled her ears and she frowned, pulling the phone away from her ear to stare at the number she had dialed. "Shane?"

"Ms. Torres, if you are looking to reach Mr. Grey, I'm sorry to inform you he's at a sound-check." She blinked once at the use of her maiden name and frowned again. It was their manager, of course. "Shall I give him a message?" She blew her bangs out of her eyes in frustration.

"No, actually Chase, I have something important to tell him. Can you please give him the phone?" She asked in her most polite voice.

"I'm sorry but that's simply not possible. As I mentioned before, he's currently at a sound-check." Chase snapped, his own polite tone gone now. Mitchie sighed, her eyes narrowing in displeasure. "One that I, coincidentally am due at right now." Chase added, grinning.

"Chase, give Shane the phone." She pleaded, sick of this game he was playing with her. "It's important—I need to tell him something!" The only sound she was met with was a line going dead. Mitchie stared at her phone in indignation and shock. Had he honestly just hung up on her? She blinked up at Brielle. "He hung up on me." Brielle stared at her, confused. "Not Shane, his jerk of a manager." Brielle's mouth twitched slightly at Mitchie's use of the word 'jerk' but she didn't say anything. "He's probably not even going to tell Shane I called." Mitchie fumed.

"You can always call him again." Brielle reminded her, pulling a cloth and reaching for one of her guns. At Mitchie's fearful look, she rolled her eyes. "I'm just cleaning it. Don't worry; I'm unloading it first. Don't want any accidents." She flipped the gun over and messed with it for a moment, before letting the bullets clatter into her lap. Mitchie smiled uneasily.

"I want to talk to him, but I don't want to talk to Chase again." She wrinkled her nose at the man's name. "Seriously though...I do want to tell him. But if Chase is going to pick up, then heck no." Mitchie crossed her arms defiantly. Her mind was made up.

Stacy burst into the room, cell phone in hand. She looked pleased with herself. "They can see you now." She leaned against the door frame, wiping her hair out of her eyes. Mitchie laughed softly at the look of sheer exhaustion on her face.

"Okay, well Brielle needs to reload her gun and we need to figure out how we're going to get to the doctor's office without arousing suspicion." Mitchie thought out loud, and Stacy staggered forward happily.

"That gives me time to rest." She mumbled as she fell face forward into the bed. Mitchie looked at her strangely as Stacy buried her face in the blankets, yawning loudly.

"What's got you so tired?" She laughed and Stacy looked up at her, weary. Her eyes were glazed over with exhaustion. Mitchie sighed, resting a hand against her forehead, feeling the opening throbbings of a headache.

"I've been running through the house, trying to find a room without windows being hounded over by paparazzi." Both Brielle and Mitchie paled visibly. "Yeah. I meant to tell you before, but I forgot." Stacy apologized.

Mitchie giggled now, still wincing. "My head hurts." She groaned while Brielle paced, listing out loud all the guns she had brought with her. Mitchie stared at her, a bit worried. "Brielle, what are you doing?"

Brielle smirked. "Picking my weapons. I like my pink stun gun the best so far." Stacy glanced up at the word 'pink.' "I can't use an actual gun but the stun gun should be okay."

Mitchie sat up and reached for a bottle of Motrin. Brielle gave her a suspicious look. "How long have those headaches been going on?" Mitchie muttered something under her breath. "A couple of weeks?" Brielle shrieked, and Mitchie nodded meekly.

"There's been....uhm....some morning sickness too." She admitted quietly. Stacy picked up her head to stare at Mitchie in disbelief. Mitchie blinked back at her, confused as to why she was getting this blank look from Stacy. "Why are you looking at me like that?" She questioned, pulling her hair back into a high ponytail. Stacy rolled her eyes.

"Why are we even going to the doctor? Headaches, morning sickness, and your chest is getting bigger!" Mitchie looked down in shock, shaking her head. She looked back up at Stacy, who had a knowing look on her face. Brielle was leaning against the dresser, cleaning her gun. She would clearly be no help in this argument.

"It is not." She looked down again scrutinizingly. Stacy nodded seriously, propelling herself off the bed and towards Mitchie's closet. She flung the doors open, rifling idly through the shirts.

"Pick any shirt in here. I promise you it will be tight." Stacy told her. Mitchie shook her head and stood up, crouching down to look under her bed for a pair of shies. "Yay! Doctor time!" Stacy cheered, distracted from her earlier point. She slipped her feet back into her shoes. "I'll pretend to be sick if we get confronted before we get there."

Brielle nodded and slipped the innocent looking pin gun into its holster. "Let's go." She held open the door for Mitchie and Stacy, letting them lead the way for her to the garage. Mitchie sat in the passenger seat while Stacy laid in the back, pretending to be asleep. Brielle took a deep breath and put up the garage door. Flashes overwhelmed her senses. Mitchie blinked in the harsh light as Brielle pulled out into the driveway.

"Mitchie!" Their screams overpowered the radio and she winced. Brielle rolled the down the window to give the paparazzi a sharp glare. They stared back at her, cameras still flashing. Mitchie laid her head back, trying not to flinch in pain.

"Mitchie's friend Stacy has a headache and isn't feeling too well. Please don't scream." Brielle said a polite but firm voice. The flashes continued, but their voices did fall slightly. Brielle smiled appreciatively and rolled the window back up.

"Mitchie; what do you have to say about the pregnancy rumors?" Mitchie rolled her eyes and shook her head, indicating she had no comment. She gave them a polite smile and a small wave and laid her head back down on the seat. Brielle continued driving, giving her a tiny comforting smile.

"I wish they would leave us alone." Mitchie groaned. Stacy picked up her head to laugh in amusement at her naive friend.

"You wish they would leave you alone. They don't care about me," Stacy pointed at herself for emphasis, "or Brielle. No offense." Brielle shrugged, smiling. Mitchie shook her head, denying this. Stacy rolled her eyes. "You know it's true." She pressed, while Brielle pulled into the campus' doctor's office. "Oh look! We're here!" She exclaimed, bouncing out of the car.

Mitchie groaned and opened her door, stepping out gingerly. She winced and held her head as Brielle and Stacy ushered her inside the building quickly. "I don't feel good." She declared, dropping into a chair. She opened her eyes and bounced back up to her feet quickly. "I gotta sign in." She muttered, and Stacy pushed her back into her chair.

"I'll do it." She protested, and Mitchie sighed, settling back into her seat. They waited for a few awkward minutes until a nurse appeared, clipboard in hand.

"Michelle Black?" She called. Stacy elbowed Mitchie and nodded towards the door. She and Brielle rose while Mitchie looked confused. She paused, then smiled, finally understanding.

"You didn't use my real name." She mouthed, grabbing her purse and following the nurse into the hallway that wrapped behind the receptionist's desk. It connected to another brightly lit hallway, lined with rooms. The nurse hesitated outside the first room, ten shook her head.

"I think you want something more...secluded." She decided, leading way down another hallway and into room 30. "Please wait here Mrs. Grey." She smiled gently and walked away. Stacy, Brielle and Mitchie stared her, confused.

* * *

Mitchie groaned, letting her head fall back against wall. This was taking forever, she thought. She and Stacy were covering Brielle's stun gun with rhinestones Stacy kept in her purse, using the hot glue gun she also kept/ Brielle was flipping through a magazine, studying the clothes with a scrutinizing eye.

The door opened and a friendly looking doctor stepped inside the room. Mitchie looked up expectantly—it had been at least an hour since he had been in here to administer the tests. He sat down on the stool and looked up at her. She looked back nervously. "I understand that your husband is on tour right now. Will you be joining him?" She hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. I'll be giving you a copy of your transcripts and the test results to carry with you for all your future appointments." Mitchie stared at him blankly, not grasping what he was saying. He smiled gently. "You're 2 months pregnant Mitchie." He smiled again and stood to leave the room. The door closed behind him. Mitchie broke down crying. Stacy rushed to comfort her, rubbing her soothingly. Brielle pulled out her phone, offering it to Mitchie. She wiped away her tears and took it. Still crying, she dialed. She sat there, listening to it ring. The line picked up.

"I'm pregnant." She cried, and heard a loud gasp. There was a moan, and then a loud crash. Scuffling was heard and someone picked up the phone. "Shane?" Mitchie sobbed, not bothering to wipe her tears any longer.

"Yes baby, it's me. What's wrong? Are you hurt? Do you want to come home?" Shane panicked, pacing around the stage. Mitchie whimpered slightly, feeling the tears track down her face as her body shook with sobs. "Baby, tell me what's wrong!" Shane pleaded, desperate to understand what was going on.

"I think I need to come home for a while." She whispered, her voice cracking with her broken sobs. "But Stacy can't leave; we both have classes." Shane signed, running a hand through his hair. "And Brielle needs to be near both of us."

"Maybe now isn't the best time for you to be in school. Maybe we should look into alternative forms of schooling." Shane suggested quietly. Mitchie nodded once, her hand splayed against her stomach. "Stacy can do what she wants. I'm sure Nate would be more than okay with seeing her more often." Shane smiled.

"I think that sounds like a good idea." Mitchie whispered. "I'm going to call the airport now. I'll text our flight stuff to you or one of the others."

"Alright. You'll tell me what's wrong when you home, won't you?" He was worried about her, and it showed in the quavering of his voice. Mitchie sighed, her headache increasing. "Mitchie, I love you so much. I need to understand."

"I promise." She breathed as Shane sighed in relief. "I love you too. I'll be home soon." She whispered, hanging up. Brielle looked at her blankly. "I'm telling in person." She defended weakly. Brielle nodded, smiling slightly.

Stacy grinned and passed Brielle her new sparkly stun gun. "I guess we're packing for the last time." She grinned at Mitchie. "My dad's going to be pissed. But he can get over it. I never thought I'd be like this—packing up to go meet my pop star boyfriend and dropping out of college to be with him. Well...I never thought I'd have a pop star boyfriend either, so..." She laughed quietly. Brielle sighed, pulling her coppery hair into a high ponytail.

"Looks like I'm out of a job." She muttered. Mitchie shook her head, smiling softly. Little did Brielle know, she and Stacy had big plans for her.

"We're keeping you around. You and Jason; I'm telling you, it could be awesome." Mitchie told her, wiping the last of her tears away. "Let's go home guys."

* * *

Mitchie sat cross legged on her bed folding piles of clothes to go into her suitcase. Shane had called the school already, explaining that she wasn't ready to be away. She sighed, placing another stack inside the suitcase. She didn't know what she would do now—would she go on tour with Shane? What about Stacy and Brielle? Even though they had met only recently, Mitchie knew they could be great friends.

Stacy knocked on the door, then poked her head inside the room. "We were wondering if we could pack with you." She pushed the door all the way open and revealed Brielle and baskets of clothes. Mitchie laughed and nodded, continuing to fold. "Brielle called the airport; we have the first flight out on Friday morning." Mitchie nodded slowly, her hands flying over the clothes.

"It's Wednesday; so we have to arrange for the furniture to get shipped...where?" Mitchie wondered, fumbling in her purse for her phone. "I'll call Shane and ask." She dialed, holding the phone to her ear as it rang. "Chase." She groaned. Brielle smirked and reached for the phone. Mitchie passed it a bit reluctantly.

"Listen Chase. Mitchie needs to talk to Shane right now. You have 30 seconds to give him the phone or when I meet you I will hurt you." Brielle hissed in her most threatening voice. Chase gulped audibly and Shane got on the line. "Shane. It's Brielle. We're flying into Nevada 7 am Friday morning...where can we ship our furniture?"

Shane smiled and sighed happily. "You can just send everything to the apartment in Chicago. I'll see that it gets taken care of—what? Brielle; I gotta go, we're going on right now. Tell Mitchie I love her." He hung up. Brielle turned to Mitchie.

"He was about to go so he couldn't talk any longer—but he says he loves you and can't wait to be with you." Mitchie smiled brightly, zipping up her suitcase and flinging it off the bed. "You're already done? I haven't even started." Brielle commented, sitting back down on the floor to begin the dreary task.

Mitchie nodded, grinning. "I can't stand not being around him. But I'm still not sure I can be pregnant. I don't know that I can handle it." She sighed, resting both hands on her stomach. Stacy smiled comfortingly.

"I know. But it'll all work out. Just think; they're going to be your baby. You and Shane will be parents!" Mitchie paled for a moment and laughed feebly.

"Shane as a father? Oh goodness." She laughed, though her eyes showed how nervous she truly was. "I know he changed when I met him but I don't know if he's...if I'm ready to be a parent." Stacy rolled her eyes up at Mitchie and smirked. "What?"

"Oh please. You just want to have mind-blowing hot passionate sex with your husband." Stacy teased and Mitchie blushed, laughing. "But really...is he good?" Stacy pressed. "I only want to know because if Shane's great, then Nate's probably just as good." Mitchie wrinkled her nose for a moment but disregarded that last comment.

She hesitated before answering. "He's the most amazing lover ever. He knows exactly how to touch me and exactly what I want." She admitted, smiling softly, her eyes glazing over as she remembered her intimacy with Shane. "And he does this thing with his tongue..." She whispered. Mitchie snapped back to reality, blushing, and Stacy giggled up at her friend. "I didn't just say that."

Brielle looked up at her. "Yes, you did. But our flight leaves at 5 am. We can call a moving company to pack everything up after we've left. They'll ship it all to the Chicago apartment for us." Mitchie nodded and smiled.

"I'm so excited." She confessed, her hands on her stomach. "I am nervous though, about telling him. I don't know how he'll react."

* * *

Mitchie clutched the armrests of her seat anxiously as another wave of turbulence rocked the plane. It was still dark outside. She glanced at her watch and groaned. It was only 6 am. They had at least another hour of this. The plane bucked and dropped slightly while Mitchie stifled a scream. Stacy was sleeping fitfully and Brielle was sound asleep. "How much longer?" She groaned, and her stomach lurched. "Oh please make this end." She muttered, closing her eyes and trying to sleep.

She opened her eyes 20 minutes later. Sleep wasn't going to work; she realized. Stacy muttered something in her sleep and rolled over, pressing her face to the window, still completely out. Mitchie shifted in her seat, tugging the blanket the airline provided up over her shoulders. 40 more minutes and she could get off this plane.

Stacy shifted again, smiling. Her eyes fluttered open and she blinked at Mitchie. "How much longer?" She yawned, stretching her arms out. Mitchie yawned as well, her eyes shutting briefly.

"About 30 minutes, I think." Mitchie replied, yawning again. Stacy nodded, closing her eyes again. "I can't sleep." Mitchie groaned, curling her legs up to her chest as the plane faltered again. Stacy smiled sympathetically and pointed at the TV on the back of the chair in front of her.

"I hear the music isn't totally awful." She grinned and Mitchie rolled her eyes. She pulled up the menu to the music and pointed to the Connect 3 logo. Stacy looked at her, confused.

"That's the only channel I can get. And I love them, but I can't listen to them when I'm missing him so much." Mitchie explained. Stacy sighed sadly and nodded in agreement. "And the movies are all little kid movies. Like Elmo in Grouchland little kid movies." Mitchie sighed. "I guess I'll settle for Connect 3."

Stacy rolled back over and fell asleep almost instantly. Mitchie plugged in her headphones and settled back for the last strains of _"Still in Love With You." _Shane's voice filled her ears and tears well up in her eyes. "I miss you Shane." She breathed as the opening chords to _"Hello Beautiful"_overcame her senses. "Oh please let this plane land." She groaned, closing her eyes.

* * *

Shane, Nate and Jason paced around the terminal with full security detail sitting behind them. "10 more minutes." Nate muttered and Shane groaned impatiently, ignoring the flashing cameras. Somehow they had gotten her flight information and had flooded the airport, desperate for the first reunion photos of 'Smitchie.'

"I need her in my arms right now." He glared at the neon sign that announced her flight was still on time. He continued to pace, his fists clenched. "She said she had something important to tell me."

Jason pointed out through the large window. "They're here." He stated simply. The camera flashes got brighter as Shane pushed closer to the gate. The plane stopped moving and the tunnel connected. Shane swore out loud. Nate thought he stopped breathing. Jason stood there awkwardly, rocking back and forth on his heels.

A cry went up from the photographers as Mitchie appeared, quickly followed by Stacy and Brielle. Mitchie walked slowly towards Shane, her eyes locked on his face. He took a step closer, and held out his arms to her. Blinking back tears, she dropped her purse and ran to him. She flung her arms around his neck, sobbing as he held her close to him. "God I've missed you." Shane let out a strangled cry, crushing his mouth onto hers.

Mitchie melted into his embrace, tangling her hands in his hair. "I can't be without you anymore." She told him, tears pouring down her face. Shane wiped them away with his thumb, kissing where they had been. Mitchie rested her head on his shoulder, her arms still tight around his neck. He had hoisted her up so her legs locked around his waist, and was tearing up as well, though he wouldn't admit that later.

"Baby, what's wrong?" Shane begged, holding her closer. Mitchie buried her face in his chest, her sobs shaking her body. Cameras tried to press closer, desperate to hear the confession from Mrs. Grey. "Honey, you can tell me anything." He soothed, rubbing her back.

* * *

Stacy walked off the plane and smiled at Nate. He approached, grinning at her. "Hey stranger. Long time no see." She laughed and hugged him tightly.

"Shut up. You know you missed me." Stacy laughed, punching him lightly. Nate laughed as well but nodded seriously after a moment.

"I missed you a lot actually. It wasn't the same without you." Nate confessed. "How's Brielle?" Stacy shrugged, leaning in to kiss him slowly. "Yeah. I' rather do that too." He mumbled.

Jason felt like he had been hit by a mack truck. He stared at the tall, slender redhead who had walked off the plane with Mitchie and Stacy. She walked over to Stacy, standing beside her, talking in a low voice. Jason ran over to Nate. This would be an excuse to talk to her. "Nate! Nate!" He yelled, running over to them. Nate and the redhead turned at the same time, staring at him. The next thing he knew, a stinging sensation was pulsing through his body. He let out a strangled cry and collapsed on the ground. He twitched.

Before he blacked out completely, he saw her. His heart soared. She hovered over him, looking somewhat frantic. "I'm so sorry! I thought you were a threat!"

* * *

"Shane...I'm..." She hesitated, taking a breath. Photographers pressed even closer, elbowing each other out of the way so they could get their perfect shot of her tear-stained face. "I'm...Shane I'm pre—" She cut herself off and shook her head as more tears spilled over. She looked up at him, and he felt his heart break. The very sight of her crying made him want to punch something. And Jason was no where near by. "Shane, I'm pregnant."

Shane stared at her, a smile slowly spreading across his face. He let go of her and dropped to his knees in front of her. She stared down at him through tear-filled eyes, confused as to why he was on the ground. He raised the hem of her shirt slightly, just enough to press a chaste kiss to her stomach. At this moment, she felt blinded by the cameras flashing around her; deafened by the screaming of questions flung at her. However, her only thoughts were pure, unadulterated bliss.

* * *

_ Cause I was born to tell you I love you  
and I am torn to do what I have to, to make you mine  
Stay with me tonight_

_And I'm tired of being all alone, and this _

_solitary moment makes me want to _

_come back home_

"Your Call"--Secondhand Serenade

_ 9 pages! I just can't seem to break that habit of announcing how many pages it was. Sorry. For those of you who've been reading since the very beginning; like, 3 years ago, you'll understand that this is a major accomplishment; as my first chapter/oneshot was 1 and a half pages long. Now, every chapter is 6 pages or more. Yay me! Anyway. I have another 10 pages in my notebook to be typed, but I don't feel like it. Sorry. But true. My fingers have callouses on them, and if you loved me, you'd sent me ointment in the form of reviews. Much love,_

_nora cecilia_


	36. Part II Chapter 7

_This is Me_

_Part II_

_**This is Real**_

_Those last ten pages. Which will probably end up being only like, 5 pages once typed up. But meh. Consider it a filler I guess, since on December 1st, I have District Band Auditions, and then the 3rd-5th I have a trip with my band, and the 9th I have a Symphonic Band concert, and then the 12th I have a Jazz Band concert. So I will be busy; and this is to tide you over. _

_Warning: SMUT!!!! and language. BUT MOSTLY SMUT!!!! :]_

_ Baby, baby  
When we first met  
I never felt something so strong  
You were like my lover  
And my best friend  
All wrapped into one  
With a ribbon on it_

"Rehab" --Rihanna

* * *

Questions flew as Shane stood up and wrapped his arms around Mitchie's waist. She rested her head on his shoulder, sniffing and wiping at her eyes. The cameras flashed continuously but the screaming fell to a soft murmur as Shane pressed through. They parted to let the couple pass and quietly turned the flashes off. One man, as Mitchie passed, held out a tissue to her. She accepted it with a grateful smile. Shane gave him an appreciating glance as he passed.

Brielle dropped down beside Jason, brushing the hair out of his eyes. "I'm very sorry. Nate just informed me you're in the band, not a crazed stalker." Jason had opened his eyes and was looking at her with a dazed expression. " I'm so sorry...Jason? Are you okay? " Brielle asked, actually caring for a moment.

He smiled up at her blissfully. "I'll be great. And you can make it up to me by letting me take you to dinner." Brielle opened her mouth to retort, stunned by his bluntness. Then again, what could it really hurt? She knew, if worst came to worst, he went down easy with a stun gun.

* * *

Shane opened the door to the limo for Mitchie. She slid in and gave him a watery smile. "I'm sorry for crying." She whispered. Shane shook his head and lifted her with ease onto his lap, rocking her slowly. "I'm so scared Shane. I'm only 18 years old—I'm not ready to be a mother." Shane looked at her seriously.

"Do you want to give it up?" He whispered, pain glistening in his eyes. Horrified, Mitchie shook her head, pressing her hand to her mouth. Shane's body slackened in relief and he kissed her softly.

"I know I'll never ever have an abortion. I couldn't ever give up my baby for adoption either. I just know I'm not ready to be a parent." Mitchie explained sadly. Shane sighed and nodded.

"I understand. I know how you feel actually. I don't think I'm ready either, but we'll get through this Mitchie, as long as we're together." Shane promised, holding her hands tight. Mitchie nodded and he pressed his mouth to her gently, slipping a hand up her shirt to caress her stomach. Mitchie shivered under his cold touch. "It's been so long since I've touched you." Shane groaned, his fingers sliding higher to cup her breast. Mitchie whimpered into his mouth, clutching his shoulders.

"We can't...not out...Shane!" Mitchie cried out as his other hand slid down the front of her jeans. Mitchie let her head fall forever onto his shoulder. "Shane...we can't...oh my God! No Shane, really, we shouldn't be doing this." Mitchie protested and Shane sighed, removing both hands.

"When we get back to the bus." He whispered, placing two fingers in his mouth and smirking at her. Mitchie rolled her eyes, blushing, and snuggled closer. "You know I'm trying to seduce you, right?" Shane whispered. Mitchie looked up at him, smiling playfully.

"You know it's not working, right?" She teased, running a hand up his cheek. He sighed dramatically and let his arms wrap around her waist. He grinned at her.

"You know you want me." He whispered, his voice husky and his mouth dangerously close to her ear. She shivered, pressing herself backwards and closer to him. "You know you want me. You know you need me, feeling you, touching you." He drawled and Mitchie shook her head firmly. He laughed—a dark sound. "You want me to taste every inch of your body. You want me to touch you in ways you didn't know you could be touched." Mitchie shook her head again, biting her lip. "We can go back to the bus right now. Nate and Jason came in another limo." As he said this, he hit a button on the door and the limo pulled into motion. "You want me so badly Mitchie. Just admit it." He hissed playfully.

Mitchie turned to face him. "Not til we get home." She muttered, her eyes dark. Shane growled in the back of his throat.

"You may not want me, but I need you." She purred, licking the shell of her ear. Mitchie whimpered, biting her lip. "I want you on our bed naked." Shane whispered, his hand gripping her thigh. "I need you so badly."

She moaned slightly, beginning to wish they could be home much sooner. "I need you too Shane." She admitted quietly. He smiled triumphantly. She looked up at him. "But I have more self control than you. I can wait til we get to the bus." She grinned and he groaned. "Is it the same bus?" Mitchie asked after a moment. Shane shook his head and Mitchie frowned. "What?"

He shrugged. "They didn't think separate bedrooms were 'efficient' so they've given us bunk beds." Shane grimaced. "With curtains for privacy." Mitchie wrinkled her nose as well. "But on the bright side, we have our own recording studio in the back, along with a lounge." His face brightened.

"I was looking forward to seeing the old bus again. It's like seeing an old friend again." Mitchie sighed sadly. Shane stared at her, not sure she was serious. Prenatal drugs could mess with your mind, right?

"You're kidding right? You've seen it all before!" Mitchie smirked, kissing his cheek softly and running her fingers lightly over his chest.

"The same thing applies to you though, doesn't it? I've seen all of you before. What's the point in doing it again?" She teased, her hands back in his hair now. Shane groaned, kissing her fiercely.

"Because it feels so fucking good." He whined, pushing her onto her back and straddling her hips. "I want you so badly Mitchie. I need to be with you right now." He breathed. Mitchie whimpered slightly, trying to find a loop hole here.

"We could have sex right now," Shane's eyes brightened, "or we could wait until we get on the bus and you could make love to me, the mother of your child." Mitchie whispered temptingly. Shane paused for a moment, thinking his options over in his head.

He understood. He needed to be the 'Romantic Shane' right now, not the 'Horny Shane.' He sighed, brushing her hair out of her face. "Yeah. Okay baby, I can wait." He promised, cupping her cheek and kissing her lightly.

"I love you." Mitchie whispered, smiling up at him. "I love you so much, and believe me, the attraction and desire isn't one sided." She laughed softly as the limo pulled into a brightly lit parking tower. "Where are we?" She sat up, looking out the tinted windows.

Shane sat up as well. "Oh. We didn't feel like leaving the bus out in the middle of no where, so we found a parking tower to ditch it in while we picked you up." He turned to look out the rear window. "Damn. The others are right behind us."

Mitchie turned to him, perplexed. "Why didn't they come with us in this limo?" Shane laughed softly, his eyes shining with love for her. She tilted her head to the side, genuinely confused.

"Because they thought we'd be going at it like rabbits." He said bluntly. Mitchie blushed slightly. "But we are planning on it, so..." He grinned. Mitchie sighed, exasperated, but kissed him anyway.

"It's a good thing you're so adorable." She told him, mumbling against his lips. Shane laughed into the embrace and held her close, fighting off any urges to attempt to take this further. The limo pulled to a stop and Shane hopped out, offering Mitchie his hand. She took it gently, slipping out of the limo gracefully.

"I want to take a shower before we, uhm, retire." Mitchie blushed again. Shane nodded and entered a numeric code on a panel next to the door. It opened slowly and Mitchie bounced up the steps. She looked around at this new bus.

"You go get your cute butt in the shower. I'll bring up your suitcases." Shane told her, squeezing her butt gently. Mitchie jumped a little and swatted at him, laughing.

"Shane!" She giggled, walking away and down the hall through a door, past the bunk beds. She opened the door to what she presumed to be the bathroom and sighed happily. She turned on the water and shut the door, locking it behind her. She slowly stripped and stepped under the hot water, letting out a breath as it hit her back.

* * *

Shane had just finished unpacking his wife's things when she opened the door to the bathroom, wrapped in a towel. Her hair hung down over her shoulders in wet waves. Shane struggled to catch his breath as she crossed over to him. "Hey." She kissed him lightly. He kissed her again, pulling her right up against him, feeling the swell of her breasts against his chest. "It's cold." Mitchie shivered, clutching him.

"I can warm you up." Shane scooped her up in his arms and roughly shoved aside one of the curtains of the top bunk and placed her there. He quickly climbed up to join her. She tugged impatiently at his belt, giving him a frustrated glance. He shed it and dropped it outside of the curtain. Mitchie pulled off his shirt and threw it away from her, bringing his hands down to play with the towel. She moved both hands down to feel his bulge. He moaned as she cupped him in her hands, thrusting his hips forward roughly against her soft palms. The denim of his jeans was hard against her skin and she tugged them off slowly, letting them fall outside.

She ran her fingers over the yellow silk of his boxers and nodded at him slowly through the darkness of the bunk. Carefully, he pulled the towel off and she wriggled under the blankets of the bunk bed. Shane followed, hovering over her and creating a tent in the blankets. His hands moved down her body, dipping into her once. She cried out—it had been so long since his hands had been on her body; since his long graceful fingers had been teasing her like this. His mouth was on hers for a brief moment; until it found her neck, sucking and nipping gently. She whimpered again with need. His hands continued to work her while his mouth moved down over her collarbone. His hot wet mouth teased her breasts, suckling eagerly. "Oh Shane, please...now!" Mitchie cried, not caring if the others could hear her.

Shane spread her legs and nestled himself between them, thrusting against her heat. She moaned loudly at the first hit of pressure; needing him, wanting him—and then—he filled her and she felt her eyes roll back in her head. Her hands grabbed at clutched at his back and her cries became louder and louder. Shane crushed his mouth onto hers, muffling her screams. He continued to rock against her and she tore her mouth from his to ask breathlessly, "Is it just me, or have you gotten much bigger?" He laughed, though flattered. She clutched at his back once more as her body tensed, and he brought her to her climax. She screamed out his name and fell back against the pillows. Shane gave one last thrust and collapsed on top of her. His body was on hers, pressing her into the pillows, and she reached up behind him to tug the covers over his back.

He rolled off of her to lay behind her on the small bed, pulling her close by wrapping his arms around her stomach. She snuggled closer, shivering now. Shane smiled into her hair, kissing her neck softly. "Oh Shane..." Mitchie sighed, yawning quietly. "I've missed you so much."

Shane nuzzled one of the many marks he had left on her neck. "I've missed you too." He murmured, rubbing her side. "But now that you're here, I'm going to be very distracted." Shane added. Mitchie smirked, pressing closer and turning in his arms to face him.

Her eyes sparkled up at him. "Distracted and horny." She reminded him, laughing. Shane laughed as well, kissing her tenderly, letting his tongue explore her mouth. She linked her hands at the back of his neck, pressing his face closer to hers as his mouth crushed over hers.

_

* * *

_

_ Whenever, wherever  
We're meant to be together  
I'll be there and you'll be near  
And that's the deal my dear_

_Thereover, hereunder  
You've got me head over heels  
There's nothing left to fear  
If you really feel the way I feel_

"Whenever, Wherever" --Shakira

_ The floorplan for the new tour bus is in my profile. 5 and a half pages. Whooo! I totally predicted that. (RBS!!!) (really big smile if you've forgotten.) Anyway. I'm off to go start my busy schedule that will end sometime around December 13th. Assuming our band doesn't get any more local gigs that I have to attend. See y'all soon._

_xoxo_

_nora cecilia_


	37. Part II Chapter 8

_This is Me_

_Part II_

_**This is Real**_

_So...my only excuse for not updating in so long is that writing in my notebook led to 45+ pages of written material, and I became too overwhelmed to even attempt typing it up. I realize that doing this now, later than sooner was a stupid idea and I should have done this long before, but it's to your advantage because I'm too lazy to break this up into different chapters so it's going to be pretty long. Oh. When it talks about the club, think the one in Dream Girls? Where they first use the blue glittery (purple?) dresses. _

_The only other thing I need to mention is that this is broken up into different scenes often. I'm not sure why; it just worked out that the little segments are shorter than usual. But the chapter's longer than usual so that's a plus. The segments are more like...short scenes in one big story. I don't know how to explain it....never mind. Haha. _

_'He is sensible and so incredible  
And all my single friends are jealous  
He says everything I need to hear and it's like  
I couldn't ask for anything better'_

"The Way I Loved You" – Taylor Swift

* * *

Mitchie stirred an hour later, looking up at her husband. "Shane, it's 10 in the morning. We have to get up." He mumbled something and pulled her closer. She laughed and struggled against his grip. "We've left the others alone and as the married couple I feel responsible for them." Mitchie protested. Shane groaned and rolled over, letting her free.

"Fine. But don't think I'm done with you just yet." Shane warned, smirking at her. She laughed softly, slipping on a pair of his jeans and a white cami. "You've got sex hair." He commented, stretching his arms above his head and grinning. She grabbed a brush from her purse that was on the bunk below Shane's and began to attack her hair. Shane watched her, a small smile playing on his face. "Maybe it's just me, but your boobs have gotten bigger." The next thing he knew, a brush had been hurled at him. "Hey! That's not a bad thing!" He protested.

Mitchie looked at him, crossing her arms across her chest. "When you say it like that, it sure sounds like it." She sighed, leaning against their bunk. Shane tugged on his boxers and crawled to the edge, letting his legs dangle on either side of her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and she rested her head against his chest. Idly, he kissed the top of her head. "I guess it's just one more thing about being pregnant that I'm not ready for." She muttered. Shane smiled against her hair.

"The number one thing being that there's a baby at the end of this?" Shane queried. Mitchie sighed and nodded. "Don't feel bad—I know I'm not ready to be a parent either. But we've got roughly 7 months to figure this out." He promised, his hands rubbing her shoulders soothingly. "And who knows? Maybe we'll be totally awesome at this parenting thing." He laughed. Mitchie shrugged, blinking back tears. "Hey, don't cry baby. We've got amazing friends and parents who will be there for us."

Mitchie's eyes widened in realization. "Parents." She choked out. "We have to tell my parents." She elaborated and Shane paled. "Why do you look so freaked? I know I'm worried, but you look absolutely petrified." She grabbed his hand over her shoulder and tilted her head back until he could see her reassuring smile.

"Your dad." Shane stated. At Mitchie's look of confusion, he continued. "Your dad is going to kill me. You said we weren't sleeping together when we went to see them. He's not a stupid man—he'll know we lied because you're pregnant!" He had swung his legs around and dropped out of bed to pace.

"So we'll tell him I lied." Mitchie suggested. Shane stared at her incredulously. "Or...not." She muttered, catching the stupefied look he gave her. "I just don't think it's that big of a deal because honestly—we were married. Did he really think I wasn't going to have sex with my husband?" Shane shrugged, dropping his head into her lap.

"He's going to kill me." He groaned into her legs. Mitchie ran her fingers through his tousled hair in a calming manner. "He's going to kill me for sleeping with you often enough to get you pregnant." Mitchie shook her head, though inwardly she suspected he was right.

"Tell you what. I'll call them right now." She offered, reaching for her phone. "He won't freak." She dialed the number and held it to her ear as it rang. "Hey Mom! I have something to tell you and Daddy."

Connie set down the knife she was using to chop carrots. "Okay. You're not sick are you? Let me get your father and I'll put you on speaker phone." She set the phone down and leaned in the door frame of the living room. "Richard, come in here. Mitchie's on the phone and says she needs to tell us something." He hit pause on the TV and came into the kitchen, giving the phone a wary glance. Connie tapped the speaker phone button. "Okay honey, we're both here."

Mitchie gave Shane an encouraging smile and took a deep breath. "Mom, Daddy, I'm pregnant. You guys are going to be grandparents!" She squealed in an overly-enthused voice. Her father stared at the phone for a moment and stood up crossing to the refrigerator. He yanked the door open and grabbed a beer, snapping the lid off and downing it in 3 long swallows. Connie stared at him, watching his reaction. "Mom? Daddy?" Mitchie asked, her voice shaking now. Connie grabbed the phone.

"Sorry darling. That's so exciting! Your father is taking it well—listen, I've got to run, but congratulations!" She hung up and rushed to grab the second beer from her husband. "Drinking won't make this go away Richard." She snapped. "Now can you please just be happy for her? She loves him and she needs you to understand that." He sighed, turning his watering eyes to her face.

"She's growing up too quickly." He sighed. "That's my baby girl, and she's pregnant. How am I supposed to react?" His wife smiled sympathetically, rubbing his arm. "I need to be alone right now." He shrugged out of her grasp and stalked off.

Connie watched him go with tears brimming. "You don't think this is just as hard for me?" She yelled as he slammed the door. She turned on her heel and grabbed the knife from earlier and returned to her carrots, chopping them with a new anger.

* * *

Mitchie stared at the phone. "See? That went well!" She smiled where Shane had been standing. "Shane?" She looked down and groaned. He had fainted.

* * *

Mitchie pulled of Shane's jeans to grab a pair of her own and threw a tank top over her cami. Shane was sitting up against the base of the bottom bunk, shaking his head. "I'm dead. He's driving up here to kill me." He declared. Mitchie laughed and sat down next to him. Shane turned to her, kissing her firmly, holding her close. Mitchie crushed herself against him, opening her mouth slowly to his silent requests. His hands cupped her face as his tongue slid into her mouth, teasing her.

She let the kiss linger for a moment; then pulled away. "We have to go out there." She mumbled. Shane sighed and opened the door to the main living space of the bus. Mitchie twisted her fingers into his leading him down the hall. The others looked up as they entered the kitchen. Mitchie smiled. "Hey guys. Sorry for the, uhm, delay."

Stacy laughed brightly. "Yeah. We understand." She smiled reassuringly. Nate laughed as well, smirking at Shane,who rolled his eyes at his friend.

"Someone got laid." Nate coughed, gesturing to Shane's hair.

"Someone's jealous." Shane retorted. Nate shrugged and kissed Stacy's cheek. "Don't try and shrug it off Nate." Shane laughed, sitting down. Mitchie put a hand on his arm and gave him a meaningful glance. "Okay, I'll stop." He held up his hands innocently. Mitchie kissed him quickly.

Jason gagged playfully. "Do you guys ever stop?" Mitchie shook her head and crossed over to the stove. "I want pancakes!" Jason exclaimed. Brielle stared at him, unsure of why she had agreed to go to dinner with this strange man.

Shane stood up and wrapped his arms around Mitchie's waist. "If you're cooking..." He trailed off, kissing her neck. "I would love some eggs." He murmured. Mitchie giggled and swatted at him gently.

"I can't cook when you're distracting me like that." She scolded. Shane shrugged, holding her hips firmly against his. "Shane, if you want your eggs, you need to go amuse yourself with someone else. Go play video games with Nate." She laughed giving him a gentle shove. Shane sighed and walked away glumly. Nate kissed Stacy once more and followed him to the back of the lounge where the vast array of gaming systems were. Jason trotted after them eagerly. Brielle and Stacy moved to the table to watch Mitchie. "I guess I'm making eggs and pancakes then." She laughed, turning to the fridge and opening it.

Brielle laughed uneasily, finally opening up a bit. "How did they eat before you got here?" She asked lightly. Mitchie shrugged, laughing as well.

"Lots and lots of pop tarts." She pointed to the cupboard. Stacy wrinkled her nose and giggled a little bit. "But honestly, I think they're happier with my cooking." She cracked an egg into the bowl and stirred it quickly, pouring it into the waiting pan.

* * *

Jason set his fork down and smiled brightly. "I signed all of us up for bungee jumping lessons." Mitchie choked on her water. Shane and Nate stared at him. "At some field. It's going to be totally cool!" Jason exclaimed.

Shane sighed. "Jason, you do realize we'll get swarmed, right? We can't even leave this bus without at least one member of security..." His eyes fell on Brielle. He stopped talking for a moment, staring at her. "Oh yes!" He turned to high five Nate. "This is gonna be freaking awesome!"

Mitchie smiled at the overjoyed expression on his face, almost not wanting to remind him. "Shane, don't you remember? You guys have that concert at the club for the local fan club?"

Shane's face fell. "And we'll be in rehearsals all day, won't we?" Mitchie nodded, rubbing his hand. "Well, it was a cool idea Jason." He smiled wryly at his friend. "But I guess we'll just have to do it another time." He turned to Mitchie. "You'll come to rehearsals, right?"

She smiled, running a hand through her hair. "I was going to go shopping, but I suppose I could hang out with my husband instead." She grinned, standing up to clear the table.

Shane rose as well. "I'll get it. You go...do something." He stacked the plates and and carried them to the sink. Mitchie nodded slowly and smiled at him.

"I guess I'll go finish unpacking. Thanks babe." She walked down the hall, unaware of Shane's eyes following her. She was bent over her suitcase, just finishing her last stack of clothing when Shane crept up behind her her. Quietly, he reached out and tapped her on the back. "Shane, don't even try." She laughed, though her heart was racing from his touch. "I'm sorry you couldn't go bungee jumping."

Shane shrugged. "It would have been cool, but we do need to rehearse for the show tonight. We don't want to disappoint the fans." He offered her his hand and she took it. "I just need to hold you." He admitted, leading her back to the lounge.

"Like I really mind cuddling with Shane Grey." Mitchie giggled, dropping onto one of the plush leather couches. Shane sat next to her, turning so his head was in her lap. "When do you guys start rehearsing?" She asked.

Shane groaned, shutting his eyes. "As soon as we get there. You don't have to stay the whole time—you can go shop and come in later if you want." Mitchie thought about it, unsure of what to do. "I don't know how many ball gowns you packed," Shane grinned, "but next week we've got dinner at the White House and then in two weeks we have a charity ball. We're basically booked for any 'free' time." Shane grimaced.

"But you would never give up your music, would you?" Mitchie paused, evaluating "You love it too much to quit." Shane was quiet as he listened. "Music is your life. It's a busy life, and I understand that." He looked up at her.

"Music was my life. You and our baby are my life now. Music will always be important to me, but when this child comes, I'll give up touring and cut way back on recording to be with both of you." He was gazing at her seriously.

"I don't want you to give up your dream Shane." Mitchie whispered. He cracked a smile.

"Mitchie, from the moment I heard your voice and then saw you on the docks, you've been my only dream." He reassured her. "I want you. Forever." Mitchie blinked back tears.

"Good, because you've got me. Forever." She smiled weakly. "But you're a member of Connect 3. If you leave, what will they do?" Shane shrugged.

"They only need me to record. We're going to finish this tour and then do maybe 2 or 3 more CDs." He explained. Mitchie nodded, encouraging him to continue. "We'll probably do a 'Goodbye Tour' and then only do more CDs."

She smiled. "Sounds like you've had this planned for a while." She commented. He grinned, his cheeks heating up a little.

"Well, we all started planning this after Final Jam. I knew when our hands touched, I was going to marry you one day." He admitted. "I knew as soon as you told me you were pregnant that it was right, and it was time to start thinking about ending the touring." Mitchie smiled, kissing him lightly. "But the plan does benefit Nate and Jason as well—Nate's really serious about Stacy and Jason...well who knows about Jason?"

Mitchie laughed quietly and shrugged. "I guess I'll go shopping and come meet you at the club. Brielle and Stacy will come with me I think." She planned aloud. Shane sat up and pulled her onto his lap. "Shane, what are you doing?"

He looked at her with an adoring smile. "Kissing you." Shane told her, pulling her mouth to his. She giggled, running her hands through his hair. Shane held onto her hips, keeping her directly centered over his. His mouth was warm on hers and she opened her mouth to his probing tongue. His body was pressed against hers and carefully, he laid her down on the couch, crawling between her legs. She moaned quietly, pulling him firmly against her. He kissed down her neck, sucking gently at the delicate skin.

"Shane..." Mitchie whimpered, her body limp as he moved his mouth over her neck and collarbone. "We cannot have sex again, and not here. We were pushing it with the bunk bed—we can't!" She protested. Shane sighed and held himself above her by his forearms. "Believe me, I've been wanting you all morning. But we just can't."

"I know." His voice was tight and frustrated. "We should probably get back out there, before I totally ignore everything you just said and make love to you on this couch." He climbed off the couch and let Mitchie stand as well. "We're probably at the club now anyway. I'll call a car for you and the others." She nodded and followed him to the main room. She crossed in front of him to stop him from walking any further. Carefully glancing around, she kissed him longingly. Shane pulled her close, hands cupping just under her butt. "When we get home, we're taking a shower together." He whispered in her ear, his voice low. She nodded once, flushing lightly.

* * *

Stacy held up a pink dress. "Do you like this one?" She questioned. Brielle shrugged and Mitchie nodded. This had been going on for an hour. Once Stacy and Brielle had found out there were two formal events requiring dresses, both ecstasy and panic had broken out, respectively.

Mitchie held a turquoise blue dress to her slender form. "I actually like this one." It was strapless and had a fitted corset that dropped to a loose skirt.

Stacy's jaw dropped. "It's perfect! Go try it on." She pushed Mitchie into a dressing room. "I like this orange one..." She mused. Brielle smiled.

"It's a pretty color. Very flattering." She admitted. "I think it would look great on you—for me, I've been thinking green." Stacy dropped the dress with a shriek. Brielle jumped, a bit startled.

"Omigawd yes! A sea foam green would look incredible with your coloring!" Stacy exclaimed. "Stay here—I'll go find a couple. You're a size 2, right?" She gave Brielle's body a glance over, correctly guessing the size. Brielle nodded, stunned.

Mitchie emerged from the room. "I really like it—you don't think it's too formal, do you?" Brielle shook her head firmly.

"It's dinner at the White House. The guys are wearing Armani. It's not too formal." Brielle objected as Stacy came tripping back into the dressing area. "Oh goodness that's a lot of dresses." She whimpered.

Stacy smiled triumphantly. "I know. I thought since you're tall and not overly curvy, a long fitted dress would be good. These are all the same style, in different shades of green. Pick one and go try it on." Stacy encouraged.

Brielle groaned and grabbed a color she liked. "I don't need to try it on. I trust you. Let's just leave, seriously."

Mitchie smiled. "Okay, if you're sure. I'm ready to go check out. We can go over to the club and see the guys." Stacy giggled and grabbed the orange dress.

* * *

Mitchie stepped out of the car and looked up at the unlit neon sign. "This is it." She smiled. She lifted her purse onto her shoulder and pushed the door open. The security guard inside moved to stop her, but recognized her and opened the second door for her. She smiled graciously at him. Brielle and Stacy followed at a distance. Mitchie pushed open one last door and Shane's smooth voice filled her ears.

Stacy reached out to touch Mitchie's arm. "We're going to go explore. You'll be in there?" Mitchie nodded, entering the room silently. She sat down at a table in the dimly lit audience and crossed her legs. Her eyes traced her husband's body, appreciating the skinny jeans he wore. She cracked a smile at the thought that they appeared sprayed on. The guys were taking a break when her cell phone buzzed. 'Hello Beautiful ;]' Shane had texted her, 'Where are you?' Mitchie quickly typed a reply telling him they were still shopping.

The guys dropped their water bottles and returned to the small round stage. Shane said something to Nate that Mitchie couldn't hear and the music slowly began. Shane brought the microphone close to his mouth.

_When the visions around you,  
Bring tears to your eyes  
And all that surround you,  
Are secrets and lies  
I'll be your strength,  
I'll give you hope,  
Keeping your faith when it's gone  
The one you should call,  
Was standing here all along.._

Shane looked up and his eyes met hers. His voice faltered for a moment as she smiled at him, giving him an innocent wave. He continued to sing, his eyes locked on hers. She felt her heart rate increase as his dark eyes remained unwavering on her own.

__

And I will take  
You in my arms  
And hold you right where you belong  
Till the day my life is through  
This I promise you  
This I promise you

He took the microphone from its stand and slid off the stage, weaving his way through the tables up to where she sat patiently. He stood in front of her table, singing directly to her. Mitchie smiled as he took her hand lifting her to a standing position.

__

I've loved you forever,  
In lifetimes before  
And I promise you never...  
Will you hurt anymore  
I give you my word  
I give you my heart (give you my heart)  
This is a battle we've won  
And with this vow,  
Forever has now begun...

_  
Just close your eyes (close your eyes)  
Each loving day (each loving day)  
I know this feeling won't go away (no..)  
Till the day my life is through  
This I promise you..  
This I promise you.._

_  
_Mitchie let his arms trail around her waist, her back to his chest as he continued to sing in her ear, the microphone forgotten where she had sat. He rocked her slowly as she turned in his arms to rest her head on his chest. Shane held her close, breathing in the scent of her hair while his hands returned to her waist.

_  
Over and over I fall (over and over I fall)  
When I hear you call  
Without you in my life baby  
I just wouldn't be living at all..._

And I will take (I will take you in my arms)  
You in my arms  
And hold you right where you belong (right where you belong)  
Till the day my life is through  
This I promise you baby

Nate and Jason watched from the stage, smiling with joy for their friend. Shane's voice didn't rise above a whisper, and Mitchie pressed close to him to catch the meaningful words.

__

Just close your eyes  
Each loving day (each loving day)  
I know this feeling won't go away (no..)  
Every word I say is true  
This I promise you

Every word I say is true  
This I promise you  
Ooh, I promise you...

Shane finished the song, his lips dangerously close to hers. She could taste his breath caressing her lips and she stood up on her toes to kiss him tenderly for a brief moment. "I love you." Shane whispered, resting his forehead against hers.

"I love you too. I'm coming to the show tonight." Mitchie informed him with a smile. "I don't care if people recognize me—I want to be there." Shane sighed and Mitchie pouted slightly.

"Alright. But I want you backstage." Shane warned her. Mitchie grinned, already plotting. Shane groaned. "Oh no. You've got your devious smile on. What are you planning?" She smiled innocently at him.

"Shane, I don't know what you're talking about." She giggled, kissing his cheek. "Go keep rehearsing. I'll be back in a couple of hours."

* * *

Mitchie stood backstage, rocking back and forth on her heels impatiently waiting for the intermission. Her teal t-shirt dress clung to her body tightly and she shifted happily. Shane hadn't seen her come in, so it was definitely going to be a surprise. They had just finished the upbeat 'BB Good' and were running off stage for a quick 10 minute break. Shane emerged, hair still perfectly straight and jeans still, Mitchie noted with a satisfied smirk, perfectly tight.

He flipped his hair out of his face and looked at her appreciatively. "Damn." He muttered, crossing the space quickly to kiss her roughly. Mitchie knew her lips would hurt in the morning, but right now it was worth it. Shane pressed her up against the wall next to the sound equipment. Not caring who saw, Shane hitched her leg up around his waist, causing her already short dress to ride up several inches, exposing smooth lightly tanned skin. She let out a satisfied whimper as he lifted her other leg, and she quickly hooked her ankles behind his back and drew him even closer. Shane's hands held her waist as his mouth crushed over hers. "When we get home," he promised lowly, "I'm going to fuck you blind."

Mitchie pulled away, her cheeks a deep red. She stared at Shane, clearly embarrassed. "That's the first time you've used that word." Shane looked confused and she groaned, clearly not wanting to repeat it. She glanced around; Nate and Jason had made themselves scarce. "Fuck." She whispered. "It's the first time you've used it instead of 'sex' or 'make love' or whatever. It's not like you."

Shane nodded in understanding. "Well usually, we're really slow and tender, and this," he gestured between them, "is anything but slow and tender. It seemed stupid to use one of the other terms." He trailed off apologetically.

Mitchie smiled awkwardly. "I honestly don't mind Shane. You're not going to break me." She reassured him, placing a hand against his cheek. "In fact, I enjoy you being rough." She admitted quietly. "Don't you have to go back on soon?" She reminded him with a gentle smile.

Shane let out a low curse and Mitchie dropped her legs from his waist and let him back away. "I'll find you after the show." He promised. He started to walk away, then turned back to her grinning. "I'll need a shower after the show is over. You know how lonely I get. I'll leave the door unlocked."

Mitchie giggled and kissed his cheek lightly. "Go be a pop star." Shane gave her an exasperated look. "Fine," she amended, "go be a rock star." He nodded in satisfaction and ran towards the stage but not before giving her a long, deep kiss and squeezing her ass with both hands. Nate and Jason appeared laughing quietly. She glared at them. "Shut up guys. You're just jealous." She called after them, laughing softly.

* * *

The curtains fell on stage and the guys ran off. Mitchie hung back as they handed instruments and microphones off to different people. Shane brushed his hair out of his eyes yawning. "And we've still got the meet and greet don't we?" He asked. Nate nodded, working his way through the back hallway that lead to the lobby, where close to one hundred shrieking fans waited for them. Shane shot Mitchie an apologetic look as he followed Nate and Jason. Mitchie shrugged and followed after a moment.

She opened the door at the end of the hallway and found herself behind the guys, who were seated at a long table. Shane looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. "Took you long enough." He teased, pulling out the empty chair next to him. "Sit." He encouraged. She dropped wordlessly into the seat, unsure of what she was supposed to be doing.

A short blonde girl stopped in front of her, a poster and pink Sharpie clutched in her hand. "Will you sign this?" She asked politely, though her eyes flashed with the same eagerness the other screaming fans all possessed. Mitchie blinked at her, thrown totally off guard.

"You want me to sign this?" Mitchie asked in a dumbfounded voice. The girl nodded eagerly, her smile still fixed in place. "Why?" Mitchie questioned, accepting the Sharpie and scrawling her name in neat cursive near the bottom right corner. The girl stared at her like the answer was obvious. Shane merely looked on in amusement.

"Because you're famous! You're married to Shane freaking Grey! If you weren't perfect for him I'd hate you." The girl admitted. Mitchie stared at her blankly.

"How do you know we're perfect for each other? Not that we aren't, I'm just wondering how _you_ know." Mitchie quizzed her, not in a rude way. The girl didn't miss a beat in pulling a tabloid-style magazine out of her purse. She dropped it on the table and both the Greys peered over it. The magazine had several pictures of their reunion at the airport. One of them kissing, another of Mitchie running into his arms. But the true gem of the collection was the shot from the side of Shane on his knees, his lips against her stomach. Mitchie bit her lip; not sure how to react.

The blonde girl smiled brightly. "No one could fake that sort of love or adoration. Oh...would you sign that as well?"

* * *

Shane stepped on the bus, exhausted. Mitchie was curled up in his arms, her head resting against his shoulder. "Too tired for a shower?" He asked wearily. Mitchie shook her head, fighting back a yawn. He laughed, pressing his lips to her forehead. "You're lying." He accused lightly, kicking open the door to the bunk room. Nate, Stacy, Jason and Brielle trudged up the steps, practically dead on their feet. They walked past Shane, who was tucking Mitchie into their bunk. Their friends collapsed into their respective bunks and fell asleep almost instantly.

Mitchie sat up in their bed and pulled her dress off over her head, letting it drop onto the floor. Shane watched, slightly slack-jawed, as her underwear followed. She patted the bed next to her, faint color creeping up in her cheeks under his scrutinizing, yet admiring, gaze. Shane crawled in next to her, nuzzling her neck softly. "I'm not complaining, but when did you start sleeping naked?" He asked, his eyes dragging over her curves appreciatively. Mitchie smiled slightly and pressed herself closer to him. Shane let out a small yelp as he felt her smooth skin against him.

"When I woke up this morning naked in your arms." She said simply, though the faint blush across her cheekbones remained. "I knew it was the only way I ever wanted to wake up." She grinned before speaking again. "Plus I knew you wouldn't mind." With that, she yawned delicately and dropped her head to the pillow. Shane wrapped his arms around her from behind, relishing the feel of her bare back against his chest.

* * *

Shane and Mitchie sat at the table, both looking at a copy of the magazine. "Well at least they're cute pictures." Mitchie grinned. Shane nodded, chuckling to himself. "So do we want to make a statement or something?"

Shane sighed, resting his head in his hands. "I think it would be best, but I really don't want you exposed more than you absolutely have to be." He muttered with his eyes on hers. "I want to protect you from my world. It's not a pleasant world and I would do anything to get out of it." Shane told her sadly.

Mitchie rested her head on his shoulder. "I know you want to protect me, and I love you for that and many more reasons." She smiled, continuing. "But this music is your life and it's my life too now. You can't give up music and I can't give up you. We'll talk to Chase and release a statement."

Shane smiled weakly. "We're both gonna get a lot of crap for this. You're only eighteen." He reminded her, rubbing the top of her hand. "I know we're in love—but they don't know that. They're going to attack us from every angle and it might get ugly."

Mitchie nodded seriously. "I understand...but we're together and that's all that matters." She told him, kissing him lightly on the lips. She stood up after a moment and looked down at Shane expectantly. "Pancakes or waffles?"

Shane's eyes lit up. "Chocolate chip waffles!" He exclaimed as he jumped out of his chair. "I'll go wake the others up." He called, already halfway to the door. Mitchie laughed and began to go through the cabinets.

Shane threw open Nate's curtain, not really paying attention as he turned to pull on a pair of jeans. "Nate! Mitchie's making chocolate chip waffles!" He yelled. Stacy groaned from the bunk and threw her pillow at Shane. He turned around at the feminine groan and his jaw dropped. "Stacy? Why are you in Nate's...oh my God." Shane muttered. "NATE!"

Stacy slapped a hand across his mouth. "Shut up! Nothing happened! I mean, we didn't have actual sex. You can't be mad." Stacy hissed defensively. Shane stared at her with wide eyes. Backing away, he continued to stare at her, slightly horrified.

"Please tell me you have clothes on under that blanket." He choked, gesturing to the sheets Stacy had wrapped around herself. Stacy rolled her eyes and Shane gagged. "That's not an answer...where's Nate?" He asked suspiciously.

Stacy sighed. "Yes, I have a bra and pajama shorts on. Nate's in the bathroom." She snapped. Shane held up both hands as if to surrender.

"Don't freak, jeez." He walked out of the room laughing. "Didn't know Nate had it in him." He chuckled. Stopping short he turned around and returned to the room. He stopped just inside the door. "JASON! WAFFLES!" He yelled and turned on his heel to return to the kitchen.

* * *

Everyone sat gathered round the table, eagerly eating the waffles. Stacy was curled against Nate to Shane's amusement, while Brielle and Jason sat slightly closer. Mitchie was sitting on his lap, eating from his plate. "Those are mine babe." Shane reminded her with a short laugh.

She turned to look at him and stuck out her tongue. "I made them." She retorted playfully. "But I'm about to go take a shower anyway." She stood up and stretched her arms above her head. Shane watched, entranced by her movement. She ruffled Shane's hair affectionately as she walked away.

Shane continued to pick at his waffles until he heard the water start to run from the back of the bus. He slid out of his chair and stood up. "Uhh...I'm just gonna go...er...over there." With those words, he darted back to the shower and knocked on the door. Mitchie opened it, her body wrapped in a towel. He noticed her hair was still dry, which meant she hadn't gotten in yet. He pushed the door all the way open and kissed her roughly, her face in his hands. Mitchie backed up into the bathroom and Shane kicked the door shut behind him. Still kissing fervently, she ripped the door to the shower stall open and Shane pushed her inside after tearing the towel from her body. He stripped quickly, watching her lithe body move under the downpour of hot water. He shut the door behind him.

Mitchie looked up at him through her lashes and before she could even comprehend it, Shane's mouth was on hers, sucking on her lower lip while his hands held her firmly against him. She let out a low whine, her neatly trimmed nails scratching at his back. He tore his mouth from hers and stared into her eyes. Water dripped from his matted hair and his breathing was heavy. "Tell me what you want." He demanded in a hoarse voice.

She stared up at him, chest heaving with every labored breath she took. "I want you." She said plainly. He shook his head, indicating he wanted more detail. "I want you to touch me." She added in a frustrated tone as she noted that his warm hands were no longer caressing her body. She let out a sharp gasp as her husband's fingers instantly delved into her. She felt her knees shake and Shane backed her up against the wall of the shower. "Shane, we can't! The others are in the kitchen, and for all we know, they're coming back here." She hissed through gritted teeth.

Shane pouted as he continued to stroke her. "Don't you want to have sex with me?" He asked, genuinely hurt. Mitchie nodded quickly, biting her lip. "Because I want you." He added, his other hand stroking her hair. Mitchie stared at him, unable to concentrate because of his ministrations and unsure of how to phrase her thoughts.

"Just because we want each other doesn't mean we can have sex all the time. Just because we're married now and it's okay to have sex doesn't mean we can be all over each other 24/7." She explained, frustrated that he couldn't understand this.

Shane grinned. "But I'm used to getting what I want." Mitchie let out an impatient shriek and turned the water off. She flung the door open and grabbed the discarded towel. "Mitchie? What are you doing?" Shane questioned.

"Proving that you don't always get what you want." She snapped, leaving the bathroom and letting the door slam. She quickly redressed in a long sleeve green shirt and a pair of Shane's jeans. Sighing, she curled up on her bunk, the one below Shane's. She shut the curtain and pulled the blankets up to her chin. Mitchie buried her face in a pillow, letting the tears fall. If there was one thing Mitchie hated, it was fighting with Shane.

* * *

Shane stepped out of the shower and dried off, redressing in the clothes he had shed earlier. He hung up the towels and left, shutting the lights off. "Mitchie?" He looked up in the bunk they shared. She wasn't there. He glanced down and saw her normally unused bunk's curtain shut. He opened it quietly and crawled in next to her. "Mitchie, honey, what's wrong? I'm sorry for what happened in the shower baby." He whispered. Her body shook with quiet sobs.

"I don't know why I'm crying. Damn hormones." Mitchie admitted. "I guess I just feel like you're turning back into the Shane who is only in the relationship for the sex." She whispered. Shane blanched, remembering that point in their past.

"Hey." He tilted her chin up so her eyes met his. Carefully, he wiped away her tears with his thumb. "I'll change. I've changed before—we know I can do it." She smiled weakly, and his heart soared. "There's that pretty smile I've been missing." He drawled. "Just don't run to Nate this time." He added teasingly. Mitchie stared at him. Hurt, she pulled the blankets back and scrambled out of the bunk.

She stood just outside the curtain, staring at him. "I can't believe you would throw that in my face." She whispered brokenly. She turned to leave, wiping away a tear as she left.

Shane groaned and punched the wall next to the bunk. "Great job Shane. Hurt the pregnant girl." He pulled the blankets over his head. "I'm royally fucked." He muttered.

* * *

Mitchie sat cross legged on the couch between Jason and Nate. Brielle and Stacy sat curled at her feet, all trying fruitlessly to calm her down. Silently, tears rolled down her face and she brushed them away impatiently. "Sometimes I just feel like he doesn't love me—that he only married me to sleep with me." She confessed.

Jason sighed. "Mitchie, you know that's not true. Shane loves you. He's in love with you." Mitchie shook her head, refusing to listen to the wise words of her friends. Nothing made sense in her mind right now.

"If he loves me, why is he still in bed while I'm out here crying?" She demanded. Jason hesitated, not sure he had an answer. Mitchie continued to cry, her arms wrapped tightly around herself as if to hold herself together.

Nate reached out and touched her hand. "Come here." He lifted her with ease on his lap, she buried her face in his shirt and her body shook with harsh sobs. As Nate rubbed her back and whispered something in Mitchie's ear; Stacy's glance tightened. She continued to watch suspiciously, her eyes narrowing as Nate's hand caressed Mitchie's lower back.

* * *

"You were practically feeling her up!" Stacy accused as she threw clothes haphazardly into her suitcase. Nate stared at her, trying with great effort not to laugh at his girlfriend.

"You're kidding, right? My hand was on her back! Stacy, you're being ridiculous." Nate protested, working just as quickly unpacking the suitcase her clothes landed in. She glared at him. "Stacy, I don't know what you're implying."

She tossed her hair and fixed him with a cold stare. "I'm saying you still love her."

Nate opened his mouth but no sound came out. He stared at her wordlessly as she shoved all her clothes into the suitcase and zipped it shut with an air of finality. "That's what I thought." She muttered, her voice laced with venom. Nate, stunned, continued to stare at her. "I'm leaving in the morning." She informed him.

"Stacy, don't leave like this. We have the dinner in a week and then the charity ball. Please stay." Nate whispered. Stacy sighed, sitting on her bunk and dropping her head into her hands. She fought back the tears that threatened to spill over. "Please." He repeated.

She picked up her head, her eyes cold and calculating. "The morning after the ball I'm gone." Nate nodded regretfully. "And I don't want you trying anything with Mitchie. She and Shane are happily married." With those words, she pointed towards the lounge with a cruel smile. "Listen." She hissed, her demeanor switching from victim to torturer in mere seconds.

Nate sighed in an exasperated manner. "I'm not going to try anything. I promise." He tilted his head to the side to listen. He groaned inwardly, hearing the breathy moans and gasps coming from the lounge. "Well this is really awkward. I'm going to leave now." He muttered, crossing the room to the door. Stacy laid down on her bed, her head resting on two pillows. Taking a shaky breath, she finally let all her tears out silently.

* * *

Shane walked back to the lounge as soon as Stacy had rounded on Nate, her harsh words spilling over soon after. He stopped short, seeing Mitchie on the couch already. He sat down. "Hey." He mumbled, not meeting her eyes. "I'm sorry for what I said. It was out of line."

She smiled weakly. "I'm sorry for overreacting. It wasn't that big of a deal and you weren't serious." She whispered, scooting closer to him. "I don't want to fight." Mitchie added as she wiped away the last of her tears.

Shane leaned in hesitantly to kiss her softly. Instinctively, her hands laced around his neck and her lips parted as Shane's mouth worked over hers. Their tongues met for a moment and a shock rippled through her body. "I love you." Shane told her as he pulled away. She repeated the words and turned so her back was to his chest. Sighing contentedly Shane wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head in the crook of her neck. After laying like this for a moment, Shane picked up his head. "You smell good." He whispered as he kissed her neck slowly.

She shivered under his touch, not protesting as his hands ran up under shirt to caress her stomach. She brought her own hands up to stop him from touching her breasts, letting him know silently that they shouldn't have sex right now. "Maybe it's wishful thinking, but I do believe you're starting to show." Shane mumbled. Mitchie gasped, sitting up and tugging her shirt higher to inspect for herself. Shane took this opportunity to kiss her stomach, drawing little hearts on the taut flesh with his tongue. "Never mind." He grinned up at her cheekily with his hands firmly on her hips.

Mitchie sighed. "You're awful." She scolded with a smile. He shrugged, his mouth nearing the two buttons on her jeans. Mitchie held her breath as she watched him.

"Tell you what. If I can get your jeans off with my teeth and then your underwear, we'll have sex. But if I can't, we won't have sex for a week." Shane proposed, his eyes sparkling up at her. Mitchie laughed quietly, thinking it over.

"Deal." She agreed after a moment's hesitation. Shane's mouth instantly closed over the first button, manipulating it carefully. Mitchie waited impatiently for him to admit defeat. She knew he was good, but there was no way he was that good. It snapped open. He moved on to the next and this one released more easily that the first. He caught the zipper in his teeth and dragged it down, flicking the now exposed skin. She let out a sharp gasp as he pulled her jeans over her thighs with great ease. They pooled in the floor and Shane moved back up to the lace thong that waited. Her breathing was labored as he ran his tongue over her and she whimpered once when he bit the lace. Carefully, he removed it slowly and almost teasingly. He smirked up at her triumphantly. "God you're good." She gasped as he crushed his mouth over hers.

"Beginner's luck." Shane admitted with a wry smile. "Believe me, I'm just as surprised as you are that I could pull that off, especially with this." At his words, he thrust once against her firmly, letting her feel the arousal there.

"As hot as this is, we can't have sex on the couch everyone uses. Also, Nate and Stacy are in the bedroom fighting." Mitchie pointed out in slight disappointment. Shane paused, considering their options.

He grinned at her wickedly. "I could always take you on the floor." With that, he dropped himself onto the floor. Mitchie stared at him for a moment. "Come here." He whispered and she crawled down beside him. Carefully, he rolled over her and pinned her body to the floor. Mitchie whimpered, feeling the pressure between his legs.

"We can't have sex on the floor!" She protested, squirming under him. Shane groaned as she writhed under him and thrust his hips down to still her movements. Her protests were cut off and replaced with a sharp cry and a long moan as he repeated the thrust several times. "Okay, well maybe we can...oh Shane!" She cried, clutching at his back arching her chest into his. Her ankles wound around his back as she bucked her hips against him sensually, desperate for the intimate contact again.

"Don't squirm like that please!" Shane hissed, pulling her shirt over her head and allowing her nimble fingers to unbutton his own. "And yes, we can have sex on the floor; it's our floor."" He teased, cupping her breasts in his warm hands. Mitchie blushed under his probing stare and he blinked. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "It's nothing—it's just that...you can, you know, see me." Shane sighed, stroking her inner thigh and ignored the throbbing between his legs. "I just wish we could turn off the lights so you couldn't see me."

"Baby, you're beautiful. I love you and your body—you're so sexy and I wish you could see that." Shane stated quietly. "But I know it bothers you so come on." He stood up with some difficultly and tossed her his shirt. She pulled it over her arms and wrapped it shut around her front, confusion playing on her features. He opened the door to the bed room and then the door to the bathroom and pulled her in. He shut the door behind her and locked it. Quickly he turned on the hot water and let Mitchie in. "We won't even turn on the lights." He promised. Without the lights on, the small bathroom was plunged into darkness; the only source of light coming from the crack along the door frame.

Mitchie laughed and threw his shirt out of the downpour. It landed at his feet as he kicked off his jeans and boxers. Mitchie stepped under the hot water and curled her finger in and out, beckoning him. Without a second thought he pulled her to him and initiated long, hard thrust. She cried out and wrapped her legs around his waist, her head back against the wall of the shower. Shane's tongue was in her mouth and she let out a throaty moan, bucking her hips roughly against his, matching his strokes. Shane splayed a hand against the wall of the shower for leverage and grasped with the other her thigh as he thrust in and out of her heat slowly.

She tore her mouth from his to hiss in his ear, "Shane, please, faster!" He obliged, picking up his speed. Head tossed back, she gave a guttural scream and Shane kissed her, muffling her cries. "Shane...I'm...oh yes...don't stop!" She moaned, trying fruitlessly to continue to meet his thrusts.

"I love you." He gasped, falling against her. "So much." He added, stroking her thigh. She nodded wearily as he slid out of her. "I can't live without you and I hope you know that. I'll die if you leave me for Nate."

Mitchie blinked back tears and cupped his face in one hand. "I'm never leaving you and not for Nate. I don't love him like I love you Shane." She promised. Shane looked at her sadly. "I do love him...but like a friend. You have my heart." She kissed him with everything she had, whimpering as he sucked gently on her tongue. She pulled away for a moment. "Speaking of which; next time can we have some foreplay?" She grinned.

Shane laughed and nodded. "You're going to be a beautiful mother." He whispered, resting his forehead against hers. "And I love you too."

* * *

Mitchie laid back against his chest as he washed her hair, working the shampoo through with his fingers. "That feels so good." She told him, closing her eyes. Shane laughed and grabbed the shower nozzle to rinse it out. He reached for the conditioner and squirted it into his hands, before starting at the end of her hair and working his way up to the roots.

"Do you want me to wash your body too?" He whispered as he traced her cheek. She nodded with sheer exhaustion. He smiled to himself and grabbed her pear scented body wash, letting it fill his hands. He started innocently enough, lathering the sweet smelling foam over her shoulders and collarbone, his hands slowly working over her breasts. Mitchie sighed as his able hands rubbed the soap over her stomach, and she caught her breath as his fingers slipped lower, almost indecently.

"Shane!" She hissed, keeping her eyes shut. He laughed and moved his hands over her thighs and down to her calves. He turned, kneeling in front of her now and continuing to massage her legs. Slowly, he lifted one leg, lathering it and reaching for the other. He rose to rinse her off, then shut off the shower. Silently, he grabbed two towels and wrapped her body in one. She flipped her head over and twisted it up in the towel. He stepped out of the shower and dried off, leaving the towel around his waist. "I love you." Mitchie told him as they went into the bunk room to dress swiftly.

"I love you too." Shane whispered, one arm around her waist as they joined the others in the main room. Jason looked up from a magazine expectantly.

"Everything okay now?" He wondered aloud and both Shane and Mitchie nodded as they sat down on the couch. Mitchie noted that Stacy and Nate sat at opposite ends of the couch, while Brielle's leg was just brushing Jason's. Shane pulled her across his lap and kissed her temple.

"You're my everything." Mitchie smiled widely and kissed his cheek while Jason gagged playfully. Shane rolled his eyes. "Brielle, would you please shut him up somehow?" She hesitated for a split second, then silently pressed her mouth to Jason's. Shane's jaw dropped. "I meant use a stun gun or something, but yeah...okay. That works too."

* * *

_Hooray for being finally caught up! I honestly don't know how many pages this is; I'm afraid to look. So forgive me if this one time I don't proudly announce a page number. Again, I'm so sorry for the long wait! _

_xoxo nora cecilia_

_EatSleepBreatheJonas_

_Reviews are love. :]_


	38. Part II Chapter 9

_This is Me_

_Part II_

_**This is Real**_

_EatSleepBreatheJonas_

_So sorry for the long wait. If you read my three oneshots I posted a short time ago, then you know what's going on with me...if you haven't read them then shame on you! Haha. No, I'm kidding. Well, long story short, I'm really sick. So updates are probably going to be (even more) rare. Which really sucks because I've got such big plans for this story. Oh. Warning! This chapter is full of language, smut, and it skips around a lot, time wise. In the past I've been like, 13 pages on ONE DAY. Well. Not anymore. Because if I kept going like that, then in 15 years I'd still be writing this—probably. Haha. _

_One more thing! So this is Part II of III, and I think it's going to be ending soon. Not necessarily in this chapter or the next...but it will be soon. _This is Real_ is sort of the stepping stone, the bridge between the two different parts of their lives. I hope that makes sense...it does in my head. Haha. This chapter is shorter, just because everyone was like UPDATE! So since y'all rushed me, this is what you get. Nehh. So there. :]_

"Mitchie, are you almost ready?" Shane called into the bathroom as he finished straightening his tie. Mitchie crossed her arms and laughed softly. Had he not noticed she was done thirty minutes ago?

"Babe...I've been ready." She giggled, bending over to adjust the strap of her heels. Shane whirled around at her words with a stunned look. He smirked as he watched her. She looked up and caught the look he was giving her. "What? Does my hair look bad?" She bit her lip, throwing a glance at the mirror.

Shane shook his head. "No. It looks perfect. Different, but perfect." He mumbled. "I was just thinking about how sexy you look." Mitchie flushed lightly, tugging at one of her loose curls and grabbed her clutch from the upper bunk. "Beautiful." Shane corrected himself as he continued to gaze at her.

"Thank you babe. You look beautiful too." Mitchie teased as her fingers laced with his on their short walk to the door to the living room. The others were draped across the couch, waiting. Brielle was practically on top of Jason and whispering something in his ear while Nate and Stacy sat at opposite ends of the couch. "Oh good everyone's ready." Mitchie exclaimed. "The limo is here and we've got a charity ball to attend!" Shane laughed and pulled her close.

"Excited?" He whispered and she nodded, tugging him towards the door. "Here." He stooped down to catch the hem of her dress and stood up, effectively lifting the dress up several inches. Mitchie threw him an appreciative glance as she descended down the stairs to the limo that waited. The others followed and they all piled into the limo.

Mitchie adjusted her dress nervously as they pulled up to the venue twenty minutes later. "Are you sure I look okay?" Her wide eyes found Shane's and he nodded, adjusting one of her curls carefully. She bit her lip and glanced out the window.

"They're going to open the door in two seconds. I'll get out and turn to get you. Nate and Stacy will follow, with Jason and Brielle right behind. Ready?" He checked. She grimaced and nodded just as the formally dressed man flung open the limo door with a flourish. Instantly the group planted sincere smiles on their faces. Shane stepped out of the limo and turned, offering his hand to Mitchie. Gracefully, she stepped out as well and laced their hands together. "You look amazing. Don't be nervous." Shane whispered, squeezing her hand lightly. She smiled up at him radiantly.

"I could never be nervous, not really. Not when I've got you." She grinned and let him lead her into the extensively decorated ballroom.

* * *

Shane's arms locked around Mitchie's waist, his face buried in her shoulder as she moved against him. "I thought when they said charity ball, they meant ballroom music." She shouted over the thumping bass. Shane laughed and the sound sent shock waves through her body.

"No. They meant a chance to dress up and grind against each other in a dark crowded room." He yelled back, his hands lowering down to her hips. Mitchie nodded to show she understood and continued to dance. "It's like prom!" Shane added a minute later.

She laughed. "I never went to prom. You?" He shook his head. "Well then this can be our prom." Mitchie exclaimed, dipping down for a moment and sliding back up his body. Shane's breath caught in his throat and he clutched at her waist.

"You're amazing." He groaned. "I don't care how much these people want. They can name a figure and I swear I'll write a check for it right now. Anything to be here with you, dancing like this." Mitchie giggled and turned in his arms to face him. "You're so beautiful." He whispered and she had to lean forward to catch what he said.

"I'm nothing special." She corrected and Shane's eyes narrowed for a moment before he crushed his mouth onto hers. Mitchie's eyes widened and fluttered shut as she gave in to his fervent embrace. Her hands wound in his hair and his gripped at her waist with need, pulling her hips into his. "Shane." She gasped as his mouth dropped down to her exposed collar bone, sucking and nipping with lust. He continued to thrust his hips against the countless layers of bright blue silk and she whimpered longingly.

"Take it back." He demanded, pulling away to stare at her. Chest heaving and eyes wide, Mitchie met his intense stare. "Please, take it back." Shane begged now, his hands clutching and winding in the soft silk. She sighed, reaching up to wrap a stray curl around her finger.

"I take it back." She grudgingly muttered. Shane's face lit up and he kissed her lightly on the mouth. "But..." Mitchie began, only to have a finger put across her lips. She glared at him playfully.

"Nope. No buts." He scolded. "Let's dance." He added, turning her back around and grinding against her slowly. "And if you're good, I'll give you a massage when we get home." He whispered in her ear. Mitchie turned with a small grin.

"Babe, I am always good." She winked, dipping down in front of him again. Shane watched her, fascinated. "Shane? You okay?" Mitchie glanced over her shoulder at her husband. He mumbled something, dropping his mouth to her neck. "...Okay." She giggled, her hands covering his gently.

* * *

Nate woke up the next morning to an empty bunk. He threw back the curtain and looked around. Jason's arm was hanging out of his bunk, with red hair spilling over the side. He grimaced and continued to look. Shane and Mitchie were tangled together, though he could see that they were both mostly clothed. There was a pile of blue silk on the floor next to their bunk, he noticed. And...yes there was Stacy, doing the last of her packing. "What are you doing?" Nate asked, his voice thick with sleep. She glanced up, startled.

"Packing. I told you I was leaving." She snapped, crossing her arms. Nate blinked, very confused. Stacy zipped up her suitcase and picked it up, leaving the room. Nate blinked once more and stumbled out of his bunk after her. She had dropped the suitcase and was currently going through the cabinets.

"No, you said you were leaving after the dinner in Washington." Nate accused. Stacy jumped, not expecting him to have followed her. She turned, her eyes narrowed. "You said it." He added grudgingly. She shrugged.

"Plans change. People change." Stacy muttered, grabbing an apple and biting into it viciously. Nate sighed, running a hand through his messy curls. "I'm leaving. Face it." She added cruelly. He looked up at her, his eyes darkening.

"I never ever thought I would say this to anyone. But I'm saying it. You're such a bitch." He spat. Her eyes widened and she dropped the apple in shock. She opened her mouth to retort but Nate spoke first. "You're leaving at the first problem. Which wasn't even a problem—you saw something and misinterpreted it. You won't shut up and listen to reason for even half a second—you're so focused on you. I'm glad you're leaving. You've been making my life hell. All you do is bitch at me and whine and threaten to leave. Well do it then. Leave. I don't give a damn anymore. I don't fucking care what you do! Get out!" He shouted, moving dangerously close to her.

Stacy's eyes narrowed and she grabbed her suitcase. "I never loved you." She shrieked, kicking the doors open and stomping down the stairs. Nate laughed harshly as he watched her throw her bags in the back of a taxi that was waiting.

"I don't even care. I thought I loved you and I was serious about making us work. But I can't change the fact that you're a self centered, vain, vicious bitch." He called, a smirk playing on his lips. She shrieked again in frustration and threw open the door of the cab and climbed inside, still fuming. It sped off quickly and Nate waved sarcastically.

The rest of the group had woken up during the screaming and were standing in the kitchen, watching the flight of Stacy. Nate spun around and his face went blank as he realized they had heard most everything. "I'm sorry you had to hear that." He apologized softly. Mitchie was the first to step forward and give him an innocent hug.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that." She laughed awkwardly, retreating back to her husband. Shane looked at Nate sympathetically as Brielle gave him a side hug.

"I'd give you a hug but it'd be weird." Shane laughed softly and Nate shrugged, silently telling his friend it was fine. "But I'm kinda glad she's gone. She ate all my pop-tarts and borrowed my straighteners." Shane added. Mitchie giggled, biting her lip as she gazed adoringly at him. "And now that Bitchface is gone, I'm going to go back to bed with my sexy wife." He wrapped his arm around Mitchie's waist and led her back to the bedroom. "However, we're not going back to sleep." He whispered in her ear, making her laugh softly.

* * *

Mitchie was standing at the sink as Shane walked up behind her quietly. "So I was thinking..." he began, and she jumped, not realizing he had been standing there. "Sorry." Shane smiled. "I was thinking we should settle down. Like, in a house with a dog and two kids, the works."

"Two kids? Let's wait for this one please." Mitchie grinned. Shane laughed as he pulled her into his arms for a slow kiss. Carefully he lifted her onto the edge of the sink.

"We can wait for this one, sure. But in our house there's going to be a master bed room and all our future children will be conceived there." At Mitchie's glance, he smirked. "Yes, children as in plural."

She scowled playfully. "Awwe baby." Shane wrapped his arms around her waist as she slid off the counter. "Don't be mad. Just think—a house full of children, all named after our nearest and dearest friends and families. No! I've got a better idea. We'll name all our kids after our favorite fruit." Mitchie cracked a small smile at this. "And three golden retrievers that chase the kids around the kitchen while we're trying to make out on the counters. All the kids have my hair and eyes—no, better yet, they'll look just like you." Mitchie laughed, smiling up at him. "And every night," his voice dropped lower, "I make love to you until you fall asleep in my arms." He grinned, kissing her neck softly.

"Oh...well that does sound good..." Mitchie whispered. "Where did you want to move?" Shane looked up with a knowing smile. "You're smiling like you've got a plan. I'm worried." She teased, brushing his hair out of his dark eyes.

"Hanover." Mitchie's eyes lit up. "You talk in your sleep." Shane explained and she grinned, flushing a little. "I've got another surprise." Shane added. Mitchie tilted her head to the side, confused. "I kind of already bought a house." He admitted sheepishly. "I hope you don't mind."

Mitchie threw her arms around her husband's neck. "You're too good to me." She proclaimed, kissing him gently. He shook his head sadly, as one hand caressed her side.

"You deserve so much more, but I'm grateful as hell you settled for me." He whispered. Mitchie stared at him in disbelief. "I'm the arrogant, whiny cookie cutter popstar with attitude issues and great hair. You're the smart, beautiful—oh my god you're not beautiful, you're the most gorgeous and sexy woman I've ever seen—well rounded, amazing woman who married him."

Mitchie's eyes filled with tears. "Darn hormones." She muttered, wiping at her eyes. "Shane, you're so much more than that." He sighed, hating when they argued, even playfully or something like this. "But if we continue to argue I'll lose. So let's talk about something else." She suggested weakly, feeling dizzy as she looked into his eyes.

* * *

_One Week Later_

Shane fell onto the couch next to Nate. "So I was thinking..." Nate looked up, a horrified look in his eyes. "Shut up." Shane retorted, before continuing. "So anyway. I was thinking that we should make Mitchie an appointment with a doctor. Just to check on the baby." Nate paused, mulling over Shane's words.

"This is actually one of your better ideas." Nate conceded. "But what doctor? And how will the doctor get Mitchie's records? And we're on tour—we'd need to transport her records with us." He added. Shane sighed.

"I had thought of that, and I don't know if they'd release her records to us..." Shane paused thoughtfully. Nate hesitated.

"Maybe we could explain the situation to them." He offered. Shane nodded slowly as he pondered the results of this choice.

"Or...or maybe we end the tour." He whispered. Nate looked up in surprise. "I would understand if you said no. I know much you and Jason love touring." Shane added. Nate shook his head.

"Sure we love it, but Mitchie means more to both of us than touring does." Nate saw the threatening look brewing in Shane's eyes. "She's like a sister to us. But let's not get too ahead of ourselves. We can go see the local doctor and see what they recommend we do." Nate advised cautiously. Shane nodded.

"I definitely don't want to make any hasty decisions—if it were just me, sure. But it's not just me. Now it's my wife and my child...my family." Shane stated softly. Nate nodded in complete understanding as Shane rose. "I actually made an appointment for today. I'm going to go wake up Mitchie."

He walked back to the bedroom as Mitchie was stirring in their bunk. Her eyes fluttered open and she took in her husband standing next to her. She smiled sleepily and stretched her arms out. "Hey." She mumbled, blinking a few times.

Shane's breath caught in his throat. She was gorgeous. "Hey. You—we have a doctor's appointment today, so you need to get up." He encouraged. She pouted slightly, shaking her head. "You want to see how the baby's doing, don't you?" Shane wheedled, resting his arms on the edge of the bunk. She sighed, nodded slowly.

"Alright; I'll get up. But make it worth my while." She grinned, throwing her legs over the edge and on either side of her husband's shoulders. Shane smirked as she leaned forward, capturing his mouth in a fervent kiss. Her hands tangled in his hair, yanking him even closer than before. Shane chuckled into the embrace and let his hands wander over her thighs.

"Okay, I think it's worth it." He pulled away and grinned. "I didn't want to get too excited and end up missing our appointment." He explained, seeing her frown. She sighed and nodded, sliding out of the bunk and searching for her favorite pair of jeans. Shane found them and handed them to her with a smile. She kissed his cheek lightly and shimmied out of her shorts. He watched, entranced. Casually, she glanced up and rolled her eyes.

"Aren't you the one who said we couldn't get 'excited and end up missing our appointment'? So stop looking at me like that!" She scolded playfully. Shane arched one eyebrow. Mitchie sighed exasperatedly. "Like you just want to forget about all our plans for the day and crawl into bed with me." She clarified. Shane smirked and leaned back against the opposite bunk bed as he continued to watch her change. "Perv." Mitchie giggled as she tugged her shirt over her head.

"You know you love me watching you." Shane teased, pulling her in for a long embrace. Mitchie sighed, going limp in his arms as he kissed her tenderly. "Mmm. Now...we have to go to that thing...that thing that's keeping me from seeing you naked." He groaned, his hands gliding over her hips longingly. She pulled away and gave him a bright smile.

"But we get to see the baby. Be excited!" She enthused, her eyes flashing with a hint of nervousness. Shane nodded with sincere eagerness. "I'm scared." Mitchie confessed after a split second. Shane sighed, giving her a questioning glance. "It's been so easy to just pretend that it's not real...that I'm not really pregnant. But now that we've got an appointment...I won't be able to pretend so easily." She confessed.

"Don't you want to have a child with me?" Shane questioned, slightly hurt. Mitchie looked up, stunned at his question.

"Of course I want to have kids with you Shane! It's just that...I'm so young. When our baby is 18, I'm going to be 36. Most normal people are just having a baby then." She pointed out. Shane nodded hesitantly. "More than anything, I want your children. I'm just...concerned about the timing. That's all." Mitchie whispered, hugging him tightly from one side and resting her head on his shoulder. "I love you."

He smiled weakly. "I love you too baby. I understand where you're coming from, but then again, we've never exactly been normal." He grinned, pressing a chaste kiss to her temple. She giggled, nodding in agreement. "So. Ready to go? Nate is gonna drive us." He caught his wife's panicked look and saw how she tensed. "But he's not coming inside, he'll be waiting in the lobby or the car." Shane soothed, wrapping an arm around her still slender waist. Her body slackened with relief and she let him lead her out to the small car that waited for them.

* * *

"This is going to be cold." The smiley doctor warned as she spread the blue-tinted gel over Mitchie's still flat abdomen. Mitchie nodded, eagerly taking Shane's hand. On the ride to their appointment, she had been nervous and uncomfortable. But now, sitting in the room with the doctor and ultrasound machine, she was just excited. The doctor, who had introduced herself as Dr. Sampson, lifted the wand from its holster-like thing and placed it against Mitchie's stomach. "It's too early to make out details, but that's your baby's heartbeat."

Shane's eyes lit up and he leaned forward, trying to memorize every detail of the black and white image. Mitchie squeezed his hand, tears coming to her eyes as she stared at the grainy image. The doctor rose. "I'll go print you a photo of your baby and get your records so you'll be set to go." With that, she was gone and Shane's mouth covered Mitchie's.

"I," he mumbled against her lips, "am so happy." She giggled, running her hands through his hair once idly before pulling away. "You're beautiful." He observed, reaching out to caress her cheek. "Almost as beautiful as me." He cracked a smile to show he was kidding. Mitchie threw her head back and laughed.

"And I thought we were about to have a tender moment or something..." She giggled, grabbing her jeans off the floor. "Pass me a paper towel." She instructed, holding her hand out. Shane handed her several and she wiped the gel off of her stomach before pulling her shirt back down. She slipped into her jeans just as Dr. Sampson returned.

"Here are your records," she passed them to Mitchie, who placed them in her purse, "and here's your baby's first picture." She passed that to Shane, who immediately opened the envelope to stare at the 5x7 picture he held.

"I'm framing this." He declared, holding it out to Mitchie, who leaned in to look. She smiled and 'awwed' softly, running a finger down the edge and smiling brightly. They left the building and Shane opened the door for his wife. Nate looked up from his book. "Look at my baby!" Shane exclaimed, shoving the picture into Nate's face.

He took the image and studied it for a moment, before turning to Shane with a serious look in his eyes. "Your kid looks like a squirrel." Shane stared at him before both he and Mitchie simultaneously smacked him in the back of the head.

"OWW!"

* * *

_I've been trying to end on a lighter note. The Shane thing last chapter, Nate getting hit this chapter...yeah. It's my pitiful stab at humor. Laugh plz&thks. _


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